Compare towns
Orange vs Windsor vs Athol vs Dudley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
Athol has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Windsor | Athol | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
3,554Lowest |
8,801 |
11,929Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% 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%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Orange 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% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor 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% |
39.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10k 31% below U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$67,394±$8k 17% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Dudley 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±$18k 26% below U.S. |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
$248,700±$15k 25% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,026±$89 27% below U.S. |
$1,120±$173 21% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182Highest 14% below U.S. |
| Dudley 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. |
$5,209Highest 67% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Dudley 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% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
21% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | #256 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | — | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.