Compare towns
Webster vs Orange vs New Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most people working from home (17.1%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
New Durham has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Webster | Orange | New Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,227Lowest |
7,573Highest |
2,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±7.6 15% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.5±7.5Highest 20% above U.S. |
| New Durham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.8%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Durham and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$100,194±$13k 24% above U.S. |
| Webster and New Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $338,500±$30k about the U.S. average |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$339,400±$27kHighest about the U.S. average |
| New Durham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,396±$622 about the U.S. average |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,417±$116Highest about the U.S. average |
| New Durham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,774 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.6%±71Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±42.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Webster and New Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #275 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Merrimack Valley School District | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.