Compare towns
Athol vs Gray vs Orange vs Ware
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).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Gray | Orange | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
8,429 |
7,573Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Gray 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 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 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%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware 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% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray 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 14% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Gray and Athol 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. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #275 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Ware |
| High school in town | Athol High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
12.5Highest |
9.0Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.