Compare towns
Orange vs Putnam vs Windsor Locks 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).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Athol has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
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 | Putnam | Windsor Locks | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573Lowest |
9,292 |
12,579Highest |
8,801 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Putnam 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% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Putnam 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. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average |
$67,394±$8k 17% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Putnam 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. |
$269,200±$11kHighest 19% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$248,700±$15k 25% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Windsor Locks 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. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,120±$173 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,860 24% above U.S. |
$3,688 18% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Windsor Locks 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% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #275 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Putnam School District | Windsor Locks School District | — |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Putnam High School | Windsor Locks High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
9.5Highest |
8.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.