Compare towns
Athol vs Fall River 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 most people working from home (10.6%).
Fall River has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
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 | Fall River | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011 |
94,082Highest |
7,573Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
41.8±2.2Highest 4% above MA |
| Orange and Athol 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% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest 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%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Orange and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4% MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Fall River and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5kHighest 33% below MA |
$56,673±$3k 45% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$395,500±$11kHighest 30% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,155±$27Highest 34% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
| Fall River 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 |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$4,136Highest 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Athol and Fall River 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | Athol High | B M C Durfee High | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.3 |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.