Compare towns
Athol vs Ashburnham vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
Bordering AtholAthol
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Ashburnham has the highest household income ($119k).
Orange has the oldest population (median age 41.8).
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 | Athol | Ashburnham | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,801Highest |
6,415Lowest |
7,573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% MA: +7.4% |
+3.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
40.7±6.3 about the MA average |
41.8±2.2Highest 4% above MA |
| Orange and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.6%±6 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±4.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Orange and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9% MA: 47.3% |
44%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ashburnham and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,394±$8k 35% below MA |
$118,809±$11kHighest 14% above MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $248,700±$15k 56% below MA |
$390,700±$34kHighest 30% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,120±$173 36% below MA |
$1,807±$1kHighest about the MA average |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
| Ashburnham and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
$6,046Highest about the MA average |
$4,136 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±17.9 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21% MA: 10% |
6.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% below MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
16%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashburnham and Athol 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 | #256 of 282 in MA | #178 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ashburnham-Westminster | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.