Compare towns
Orange vs Gardner vs Athol vs Warwick
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).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Athol has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
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 | Gardner | Athol | Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
21,148Highest |
12,011 |
776Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
0% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
51.4±7.3Highest 29% above MA |
| Warwick and Gardner 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% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest 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%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.2%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Warwick 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 MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
40.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner 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 |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$93,333±$22kHighest 10% below MA |
| Warwick 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±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$349,400±$34kHighest 38% below MA |
| Warwick and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,367±$163Highest 22% below MA |
| Warwick 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 |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,380Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Gardner 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% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
40 minHighest 37% above MA |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Warwick and Gardner 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Gardner | Athol-Royalston | Warwick |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Gardner High | Athol High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
13.5Highest |
11.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.