Compare towns
Orange vs Mendon vs Athol
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).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Athol has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Mendon | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
6,325Lowest |
8,801Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
| Mendon and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Orange and Athol 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% |
46.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon 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 |
$132,256±$33kHighest 27% above MA |
$67,394±$8k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$248,700±$15k 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,120±$173 36% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 31% below MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.2%±17.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon 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% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
21% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Mendon and Athol 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.