What stands out worked out from the figures below

Athol has the most renters (36.3% rent).

Hampton has the most people working from home (17.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Athol	Hampton
People
Population	8,801Highest	1,647Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.7% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S.	51.5±5.3Highest 32% above U.S.
Kids under 18	25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22%	19.7%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Athol and Hampton 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%	26.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	29.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	1.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Athol and Hampton 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.	$109,167±$19kHighest 35% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$248,700±$15kLowest 25% below U.S.	$295,800±$27kHighest 11% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,120±$173Lowest 21% below U.S.	$1,285±$288Highest 9% below U.S.
	Hampton and Athol 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	$4,364Highest 40% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.2%±17.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	52.5%±51.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Athol and Hampton 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%	5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	90%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S.	1980Highest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.
Work from home	9.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.7%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hampton 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	—
School district	—	Hampton School District
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.