Compare towns
Athol vs Sutton vs Orange vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Athol has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
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 | Sutton | Orange | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
9,452 |
7,573Lowest |
8,801 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
| Sutton 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% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol 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% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.2Lowest 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% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
21.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$67,394±$8k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$248,700±$15k 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,190±$401Highest 32% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,120±$173 36% below MA |
| Sutton and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403 43% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
$3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.2%±17.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
21% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70% MA: 62.5% |
63.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Sutton | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — |
| High school in town | Athol High | Sutton High School | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
12.6Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— |
| 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.