Compare towns
Orange vs Union 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).
Union has the most expensive homes ($330k median).
Athol has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Union | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
944Lowest |
8,801Highest |
| 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. |
49.9±4.3Highest 28% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest 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%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Union 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% |
24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Union 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. |
$88,958±$14kHighest 10% above U.S. |
$67,394±$8k 17% below U.S. |
| Union 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. |
$330,400±$26kHighest about the U.S. average |
$248,700±$15k 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
— | $1,120±$173Highest 21% below U.S. |
| Athol and Orange 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. |
$4,793Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
90%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Union 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% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Athol and Union 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 | Union School District | — |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.