Compare towns
Orange vs Ware vs Wheelock 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 renters (30% rent).
Ware has the most expensive homes ($290k median).
Wheelock has the most people working from home (21.1%).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
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 | Wheelock | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
10,048 |
717Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
51±5.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Wheelock and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Athol 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% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware 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. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$64,792±$20k 20% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5kHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18k 26% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$189,600±$37kLowest 43% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
| 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 45% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
— | $1,150±$182Highest 19% below U.S. |
| Athol and Ware 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. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$2,937Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$3,403 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.1%±16Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wheelock and Ware 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 | Ware | — | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
11.1 |
— | 11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.