Compare towns
Orange vs Heath vs Athol vs Ware
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).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
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 | Heath | Athol | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
765Lowest |
12,011Highest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Heath 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 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 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% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware 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 |
$98,750±$23kHighest 5% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$295,000±$45kHighest 48% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Heath and Ware 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 |
— | $1,150±$182Highest 35% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Athol and Ware 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 |
$4,438Highest 26% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Athol 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% |
6.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Heath 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 | — | #256 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — | Athol-Royalston | Ware |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.