Compare towns
Orange vs Windham vs Worcester 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).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Athol has the youngest population (median age 41.3).
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 | Windham | Worcester | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
594Lowest |
831 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Windham 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% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest 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% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham 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% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester 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. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Windham and Worcester 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. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27k 19% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
— | $1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182Highest 19% below U.S. |
| Athol and Worcester 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. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Windham 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% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Windham 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 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | — | 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.