Compare towns
Orange vs Cornwall vs Athol 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).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
Athol has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
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 | Cornwall | Athol | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,208Lowest |
12,011Highest |
8,801 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6Highest 30% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Orange 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% |
25.7%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Orange 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% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Athol and Cornwall 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. |
$114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$67,394±$8k 17% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$458,000±$49kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$248,700±$15k 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,125±$206 20% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,120±$173 21% below U.S. |
| Athol and Cornwall 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. |
$6,726Highest 116% above U.S. |
$3,403 9% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall 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% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
21% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #275 of 282 in MA | — | #256 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | 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 | 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.