Compare towns
Athol vs Needham vs Orange vs Dudley
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).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Dudley has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
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 | Needham | Orange | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
32,459Highest |
7,573Lowest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Needham 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 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Orange 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% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Needham | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Athol High | Needham High | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.9 |
9.0Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| 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.