Compare towns
Ware vs Georgetown vs Athol vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most renters (42.6% rent).
Georgetown has the most expensive homes ($651k median).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k 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 | Ware | Georgetown | Athol | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369Lowest |
8,474 |
12,011Highest |
7,573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
42.8±3.5Highest 7% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
| Georgetown and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
23.5%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Georgetown and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Orange and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
15.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$151,595±$23kHighest 46% above MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$55,824±$10k 46% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31k 55% below MA |
$651,200±$23kHighest 16% above MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$2,223±$506Highest 26% above MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408 43% below MA |
$7,272Highest 21% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.7%±22.5 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.1% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
70% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
20.2%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Georgetown and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #140 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Georgetown | Athol-Royalston | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | — | Georgetown High School | Athol High | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
11.6Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.