Compare towns
Athol vs Epping vs Dudley
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 affordable homes ($249k median).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
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 | Epping | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,801 |
7,430Lowest |
11,929Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
| Epping and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Dudley 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% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Dudley 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% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,394±$8kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $248,700±$15kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$392,600±$19k 18% above U.S. |
| Epping and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,120±$173Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Epping and Dudley 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 |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Athol 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Epping School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | — | Epping High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| 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.