Compare towns
Orange vs Windsor 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 oldest population (median age 41.8).
Windsor has the most people working from home (15%).
Athol has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
254Lowest |
8,801Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Highest 7% above U.S. |
40.2±18.8 3% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Orange and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.2%±14.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
12.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$103,750±$40kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$67,394±$8k 17% below U.S. |
| Windsor and Athol 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. |
$337,500±$40kHighest about the U.S. average |
$248,700±$15k 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
— | $1,120±$173Highest 21% below U.S. |
| Athol and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,381 8% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor 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% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±16.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor 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 | — | #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 |
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.