Compare towns
Orange vs Webster vs Ware 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).
Webster has the highest household income ($107k).
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 | Webster | Ware | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
2,227Lowest |
10,048Highest |
8,801 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Webster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Webster 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% |
19.4%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware 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% |
30.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 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. |
$107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$67,394±$8k 17% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$338,500±$30kHighest about the U.S. average |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$248,700±$15k 25% below U.S. |
| Webster and Ware 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. |
$1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,120±$173 21% below U.S. |
| Webster 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. |
$6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9 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% |
9.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
21% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Webster 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 | Merrimack Valley School District | Ware | — |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
— |
| 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.