Compare towns
Dudley vs Ware 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
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Athol has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Dudley | Ware | Orange | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,929 |
10,048 |
7,573Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Ware and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Dudley and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Dudley and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691 38% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware 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 | #142 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Ware | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
11.1 |
9.0Lowest |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.