Compare towns
Athol vs Windham vs Orange vs Ware
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 youngest population (median age 41.3).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Windham | Orange | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
594Lowest |
7,573 |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Windham and Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5 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% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Ware 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% 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% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware 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±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182Highest 19% below U.S. |
— | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Athol and Ware 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. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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% |
9.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% 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% |
72.3% 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. |
1960 20 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. |
28 min 8% 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% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | — | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Ware |
| High school in town | Athol High | — | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 9.0Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.