Compare towns
Orange vs Worcester vs Athol vs Ware
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).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
Ware has the most expensive homes ($290k median).
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 | Worcester | Athol | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
831Lowest |
8,801 |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Ware 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% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 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% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware 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% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Ware 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. |
$73,833±$18kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$67,394±$8k 17% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
| Worcester and Ware 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. |
$271,100±$27k 19% below U.S. |
$248,700±$15k 25% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Ware and Worcester 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. |
$1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
$1,120±$173Highest 21% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Athol and Ware 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. |
$4,421Highest 42% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #275 of 282 in MA | — | #256 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | Ware |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | — | 11.1Highest |
| 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.