Compare towns
Orange vs Hampton vs Athol vs Warwick
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).
Hampton has the highest household income ($109k).
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 | Hampton | Athol | Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,647 |
12,011Highest |
776Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
51.5±5.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
51.4±7.3 32% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Warwick 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% |
19.7%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest 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% |
26.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton and Warwick 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% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Athol and Warwick 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. |
$109,167±$19kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$93,333±$22k 16% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Warwick 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. |
$295,800±$27k 11% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$349,400±$34kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Warwick and Hampton 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. |
$1,285±$288 9% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,367±$163Highest 3% below U.S. |
| Warwick and Hampton 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. |
$4,364 40% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,380Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±51.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Hampton 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% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
40 minHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.4%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Warwick and Hampton 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 | — | #256 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Hampton School District | Athol-Royalston | Warwick |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | Athol High | None in town |
| 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.