Compare towns
Athol vs Orange vs Woonsocket vs Royalston
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).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Royalston has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Woonsocket | Royalston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
7,573 |
43,521Highest |
1,460Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
47.8±14.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Royalston 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% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±10Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Royalston 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% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Royalston and Woonsocket 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. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$102,109±$8kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$346,300±$18kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,650±$412Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403 9% above U.S. |
$4,136Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,196Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Royalston 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% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Royalston and Athol 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Athol High | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Woonsocket High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
9.0Lowest |
15.2Highest |
— |
| 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.