Compare towns
Ware vs Northbridge vs Orange vs Athol
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).
Northbridge has the most expensive homes ($449k median).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Athol has the most homeowners (72.4%).
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 | Northbridge | Orange | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369Lowest |
16,458Highest |
7,573 |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Northbridge and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 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% |
36.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7% MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
$55,824±$10k 46% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31k 55% below MA |
$448,600±$15kHighest 20% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$1,207±$102Highest 31% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Northbridge and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408 43% below MA |
$4,821Highest 20% below MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 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% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
70% MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Northbridge 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Northbridge | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | — | Northbridge High | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8 |
9.0Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| 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.