Compare towns
Athol vs Killingly vs Ware 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).
Killingly has the highest household income ($84k).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
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 | Killingly | Ware | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
17,867Highest |
10,048 |
7,573Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
| Ware and Orange 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% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest 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%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 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% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Killingly 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. |
$84,350±$8kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Ware and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141 26% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Athol and Killingly 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. |
$3,922 26% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest 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% |
11.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Killingly 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 | #136 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Ware | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | Athol High | Killingly High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.1 |
11.1 |
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.