Compare towns
Orange vs Jericho vs Athol vs Wendell
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).
Jericho has the most expensive homes ($493k median).
Athol has the youngest population (median age 41.3).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Jericho | Athol | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
5,114 |
12,011Highest |
850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
49.7±5.1Highest 28% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
47.1±8.8 21% above U.S. |
| Jericho and Wendell 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% |
19.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5Lowest 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% |
20.2%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wendell 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
65.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wendell 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 31% below U.S. |
$116,923±$16kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$493,100±$38kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$290,300±$31k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,731±$111Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,239±$519 12% below U.S. |
| Jericho and Wendell 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. |
$7,318Highest 135% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,519 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
79.3%±52.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Jericho 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
0.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jericho and Wendell 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 | #6 of 70 in VT | #256 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Athol-Royalston | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Mt. Mansfield Union High School | Athol High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
13.0Highest |
11.6 |
— |
| 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.