Compare towns
Athol vs Belchertown vs Ware vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Belchertown has the highest household income ($108k).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
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 | Belchertown | Ware | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
15,393Highest |
10,048 |
7,573Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
43.9±1.6Highest 10% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
| Belchertown and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Belchertown and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4% MA: 47.3% |
47.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$108,068±$15kHighest 4% above MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$371,300±$12kHighest 34% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,292±$230Highest 27% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
| Belchertown and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,810Highest 3% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
57.4%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% MA: 10% |
8.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
28 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Belchertown and Ware 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 | #168 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Belchertown | Ware | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | Athol High | Belchertown High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.9Highest |
11.1 |
9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.