Compare towns
Wheelock vs Orange vs Sheffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wheelock has the most people working from home (21.1%).
Orange has the most expensive homes ($246k median).
Sheffield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3%).
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 | Wheelock | Orange | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 717 |
7,573Highest |
573Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51±5.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42±8 8% above U.S. |
| Wheelock and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sheffield and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,792±$20kHighest 20% below U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$58,333±$26k 28% below U.S. |
| Wheelock and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $189,600±$37k 43% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18kHighest 26% below U.S. |
$171,900±$50kLowest 48% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$967±$79Highest 32% below U.S. |
| Sheffield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,937 6% below U.S. |
$4,136Highest 33% above U.S. |
$2,123Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.5%±41.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sheffield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.1%±16Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wheelock and Orange 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 | — | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school 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.