Compare towns
Athol vs Epping vs Phillipston vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Phillipston has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
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 | Epping | Phillipston | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
7,430 |
1,895Lowest |
7,573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
48.8±1.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
| Phillipston and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
17%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Phillipston 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 14% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$94,692±$14k 17% above U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Epping and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$372,400±$27k 12% above U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,375±$849 about the U.S. average |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Epping and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$3,914 25% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Phillipston and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | — | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Epping School District | — | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | Athol High | Epping High School | — | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
9.3 |
— | 9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.