Compare towns
Athol vs Orange vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Orange | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
7,573 |
616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
| Plainfield 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% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Lowest 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%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield 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% MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield 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 |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$63,500±$14k 39% below MA |
| Athol and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$309,000±$47kHighest 45% below MA |
| Plainfield and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
| Plainfield 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 |
$4,136 31% below MA |
$4,458Highest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Orange 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% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
16.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — |
| High school in town | Athol High | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
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.