Compare towns
Athol vs Brooklyn vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Brooklyn has the highest household income ($96k).
Webster has the most expensive homes ($362k 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 | Athol | Brooklyn | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,801 |
8,517Lowest |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Webster and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,394±$8kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $248,700±$15kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,120±$173Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
| Webster and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,538Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,999 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±17.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brooklyn 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 | #256 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Brooklyn School District | Webster |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.