Compare towns
Orange vs Townshend 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).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | Townshend | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,538Lowest |
8,801Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
55.6±9.6Highest 43% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
12%±2.6Lowest 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% |
19.3%±6.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Townshend 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% |
52.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Athol and Orange 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. |
$78,750±$29kHighest about the U.S. average |
$67,394±$8k 17% below U.S. |
| Townshend 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. |
$287,200±$79kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$248,700±$15k 25% below U.S. |
| Townshend and Athol 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. |
$1,074±$80 24% below U.S. |
$1,120±$173Highest 21% below U.S. |
| Athol and Townshend 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. |
$5,364Highest 72% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townshend 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% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±18.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townshend 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 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | — |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Highest |
8.1Lowest |
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| 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.