Compare towns
Athol vs Windham vs Orange vs Dudley
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1953).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Dudley has the most expensive homes ($393k 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 | Windham | Orange | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
594Lowest |
7,573 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Windham 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% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 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%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham 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% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Windham and Dudley 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. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
— | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182Highest 14% below U.S. |
| Dudley and Athol 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. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Dudley 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% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | — | #275 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | — | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Athol High | — | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | 9.0Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| 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.