Compare towns
Orange vs Windsor vs Athol vs Wendell
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 kids (22.2% under 18).
Windsor has the most renters (42.2% rent).
Athol has the highest household income ($69k).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
3,554 |
12,011Highest |
850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5 15% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
47.1±8.8Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Wendell and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5Lowest 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% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor and Wendell 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wendell 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±$10k 31% below U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Athol and Wendell 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. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$290,300±$31kHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Wendell and Athol 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. |
$1,026±$89 27% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,239±$519Highest 12% below U.S. |
| Wendell 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. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,519 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Wendell 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wendell 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 | — |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — | Athol-Royalston | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | Athol High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
— |
| 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.