Compare towns
Orange vs Springfield vs Athol vs Dudley
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 oldest population (median age 41.8).
Springfield has the most renters (50.4% rent).
Athol has the most people working from home (10.6%).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Springfield | Athol | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573Lowest |
154,749Highest |
12,011 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Highest 4% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Orange and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Springfield 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 MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Orange and Athol 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 MA: 47.3% |
20.5% MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10k 46% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
| Dudley 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±$18k 56% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,144±$55 35% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
| Dudley and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Highest 31% below MA |
$3,695 38% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 22.4% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Athol and Dudley 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Springfield | Athol-Royalston | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Springfield Central High | Athol High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.2 |
11.6 |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.