Work with a Home Buyer’s Agent in Orange MA

Orange, Massachusetts is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,839 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The town of Orange, MA was first settled in 1746, created from lands in the towns of Royalston, Warwick and Athol. The lands were not fully settled until the latter parts of the century, becoming the District of Orange in 1783, and finally being incorporated as a town in 1810. It was named for William, Prince of Orange. In 1790, the Millers River was dammed within town, and industry began in the former farming community.

Small industry grew within the town, with the town of Orange, Massachusetts being considered more of a mill town by 1840. By the late nineteenth century the New Home Sewing Machine Company was the largest industry in town, putting out 1.2 million machines at its peak in 1892. In 1900, it was home to the pioneer automobile company Grout, considered the first automobile built in a factory in the United States.

The town lies along Massachusetts Route 2, the major east-west route across the northern part of the state. Except for the westernmost tenth of a mile, the entire road is a limited access highway through town. The highway portion ends at the junction of Route 2A, which passes just north of the Millers River near the town center, heading east into Athol and following Route 2’s former right of way. Orange, Massachusetts is also home to the southern terminus of Route 78 and the northern terminus of Route 122. Additionally, the western end of the concurrency between Route 2 and U.S. Route 202 is just within town.

As of the census[16] of 2000, there were 7,518 people, 3,045 households, and 1,979 families residing in the town. The population density was 212.6 people per square mile (82.1/km²). There were 3,303 housing units at an average density of 93.4 per square mile (36.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.29% White, 1.06% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.65% of the population.