Compare towns
Orange vs Corinth vs Ware 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 renters (30% rent).
Corinth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.4%).
Ware has the most expensive homes ($290k 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 | Orange | Corinth | Ware | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,539Lowest |
10,048 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
48.4±9.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Corinth and Ware 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% |
16.8%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 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%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Corinth and Ware 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% |
29.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 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 | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$89,167±$29kHighest 10% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Corinth and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18k 26% below U.S. |
$213,800±$34kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,267±$510Highest 10% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Corinth and Athol 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. |
$3,584 15% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
17.9%±29.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 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 | 22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23%±10.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Corinth 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — | Ware | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.1 |
11.6Highest |
| 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.