Compare towns
Orange vs Walpole 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).
Walpole has the most expensive homes ($320k median).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
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 | Walpole | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
3,690Lowest |
8,801Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Lowest 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% |
25.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walpole 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% |
32.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walpole 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. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$67,394±$8k 17% below U.S. |
| Walpole 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. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$248,700±$15k 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,120±$173 21% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Athol 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. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Walpole 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% |
11.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Athol and Walpole 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 | #27 of 120 in NH | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Fall Mountain Regional 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.