Compare towns
Orange vs Epping vs Athol vs Ware
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).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Epping | Athol | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
7,430Lowest |
12,011Highest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Epping 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% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 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% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping 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% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Ware 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. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Epping 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. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Ware 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #275 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #256 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Epping School District | Athol-Royalston | Ware |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Epping High School | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
9.3 |
11.6Highest |
11.1 |
| 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.