Compare towns
Orange vs Orange vs Walden vs Athol
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 renters (30% rent).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Orange | Walden | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
957Lowest |
1,037 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
50.3±5.3Highest 29% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Orange and Walden 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% |
15.6%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 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% |
19.4%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walden 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% |
22.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walden 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. |
$71,302±$13k 12% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Walden and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18k 26% below U.S. |
$222,000±$22kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13kHighest 19% below U.S. |
| Athol and Orange 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. |
$1,330±$153Highest 6% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Orange and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,545 14% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Walden 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% |
7.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.5%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Orange 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 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | None in town | Athol High |
| 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.