Compare towns
Orange vs Windsor vs Windsor Locks 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).
Windsor has the highest household income ($105k).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Athol has the oldest housing (typical home built 1953).
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 | Windsor | Windsor Locks | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573Lowest |
29,468Highest |
12,579 |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
43.7±1.9Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Windsor and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest 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%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Windsor 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% |
43.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$104,725±$8kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$305,200±$11kHighest 8% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,681±$62Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 33% above U.S. |
$5,351Highest 72% above U.S. |
$3,688 18% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks 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% |
6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Windsor 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 | #117 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | Windsor Locks School District | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Windsor High School | Windsor Locks High School | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
10.2 |
8.9Lowest |
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.