Compare towns
Orange vs Petersham 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).
Petersham has the most people working from home (16.2%).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
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 | Petersham | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,185Lowest |
8,801Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
56.3±2.7Highest 41% above MA |
36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Orange 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% |
30.5%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Petersham 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 |
$110,750±$20kHighest 7% above MA |
$67,394±$8k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$392,400±$20kHighest 30% below MA |
$248,700±$15k 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,679±$441Highest 5% below MA |
$1,120±$173 36% below MA |
| Petersham and Athol 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 |
$4,636Highest 23% below MA |
$3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.2%±17.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Orange 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% |
8.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
21% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% MA: 62.5% |
94.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Petersham 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 | — | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Petersham | — |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.