Compare towns
Orange vs Ware vs Athol
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 most homeowners (70%).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
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 | Ware | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
6,369Lowest |
8,801Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Highest 4% above MA |
39.8±6 about the MA average |
36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
| Orange and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Ware 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% |
17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Orange and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.7% MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10k 46% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$67,394±$8kHighest 35% below MA |
| Athol and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$253,400±$31kHighest 55% below MA |
$248,700±$15k 56% below MA |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$1,120±$173Highest 36% below MA |
| Athol and Ware 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 |
$3,408 43% below MA |
$3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.2%±17.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware 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 MA: 10% |
14.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
21% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
63.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1940 24 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
27 min 9% below MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — | — |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.