Compare towns
Orange vs Sheldon vs Athol vs Wendell
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).
Sheldon has the highest household income ($79k).
Athol has the youngest population (median age 36.8).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Sheldon | Athol | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
2,267 |
8,801Highest |
850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5 5% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
47.1±8.8Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Wendell 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% |
23.7%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Sheldon 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% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wendell 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wendell 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. |
$78,533±$25kHighest about the U.S. average |
$67,394±$8k 17% below U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Athol 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. |
$272,400±$61k 18% below U.S. |
$248,700±$15k 25% below U.S. |
$290,300±$31kHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Wendell and Sheldon 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. |
$1,286±$379Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,120±$173 21% below U.S. |
$1,239±$519 12% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Wendell 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. |
$3,578 15% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,519Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Wendell 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% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wendell and Sheldon 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — | — |
| 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.