Compare towns
Athol vs Reading 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).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Reading | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
699Lowest |
7,573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
| Reading 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% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest 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% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Athol and Reading 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. |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Reading and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Athol and Reading 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. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading 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% |
8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Highest 11 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 |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading 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 |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | 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 |
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.