Compare towns
Orange vs Plainfield 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 affordable homes ($246k median).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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 | Plainfield | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,314Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest 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% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield 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% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Athol and Plainfield 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. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5kHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Athol and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Athol 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. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield 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% |
11.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield 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 | — | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.