Compare towns
Orange vs Douglas vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Douglas | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573Lowest |
9,207 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
| Douglas 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 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Lowest 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+ | 20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| 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 MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas 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 46% below MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Douglas and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 31% below MA |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #275 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Douglas | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Douglas High School | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
7.2Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.