Compare towns
Orange vs Fairlee 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 affordable homes ($246k median).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
Ware has the most expensive homes ($290k median).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
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 | Fairlee | Ware | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,066Lowest |
10,048Highest |
8,801 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Fairlee and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 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% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee 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. |
$74,760±$10kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$67,394±$8k 17% below U.S. |
| Fairlee and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$248,700±$15k 25% below U.S. |
| Ware and Fairlee 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. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,120±$173Highest 21% below U.S. |
| Athol and Fairlee 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. |
$5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee 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% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 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 8% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairlee 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 | Rivendell Interstate School District | Ware | — |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
— |
| 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.