Compare towns
Orange vs Brooklyn vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Brooklyn has the highest household income ($96k).
Athol has the youngest population (median age 41.3).
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 | Orange | Brooklyn | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573Lowest |
8,517 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 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+ | 20.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182Highest 19% below U.S. |
| Athol and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 33% above U.S. |
$4,538Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brooklyn 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Brooklyn School District | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| 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.