The Town FilesOrange, Virginia
Town in Orange County · population 4,880 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $273,300
- Household income
- $76,370
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 38.3
Orange is a town of 4,880 people in Orange County, Virginia. The median home is worth $273,300, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks better for young professionals than 79% of Virginia towns, better for retirees than 75% of Virginia towns, hipper than 71% of Virginia towns.
How Orange ranks
Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Orange is worth $273,300, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $76,370, which is more affordable than 63% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $1,103 a month. 49.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Orange | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $273,300 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $1,103 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $76,370 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 49.3% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Orange
| People | Orange | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.3 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.0% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.0% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.1% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 20.0 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.0% | 91.8% |
Weather in Orange
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 25.3°F. About 43.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.4 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 92 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orange since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 18, 1990 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 6, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 30, 2019.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 11, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4644: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
| September 11, 2018 | Hurricane | EM-3403: Hurricane Florence |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 9,594 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,188 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Orange itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Orange
4 public schools with 2,551 students, about 16.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County High | 9-12 | 1,460 | 18.5 |
| Orange Elementary | PK-5 | 644 | 17.4 |
| Prospect Heights Middle | 6-8 | 447 | 12.1 |
| Turning Point Alternative Education | Other | — | — |
Towns near Orange
- Culpeper, VA16.6 mi · 20,062 people · home $390,000
- Hollymead, VA19.6 mi · 8,601 people · home $435,300
- Lake of the Woods, VA20.2 mi · 8,081 people · home $399,300
- Lake Wilderness, VA21.3 mi · 2,960 people · home $353,100
- Pantops, VA23.4 mi · 4,682 people · home $522,900
- Charlottesville, VA24.9 mi · 46,553 people · home $486,700
- Lake Monticello, VA25.6 mi · 10,126 people · home $325,900
- University of Virginia, VA26.6 mi · 7,909 people · home $442,600
Orange questions
Is Orange, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orange scores better for retirees than 75% of Virginia towns and quieter than 44%. 15.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.3).
How much does a house cost in Orange?
The median owner-occupied home in Orange is valued at $273,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,370, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,103 a month.
What is the weather like in Orange?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 25.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.7 inches of precipitation a year and 16.4 inches of snow.
Does Orange get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orange since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 18, 1990. The typical Virginia town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)