Compare towns
Athol vs Lancaster vs Warren
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most affordable homes ($249k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Lancaster | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,801Highest |
8,606 |
5,009Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
38.7±7.3 3% below MA |
| Lancaster and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±8 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Athol 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 MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Athol and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,394±$8k 35% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$66,082±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $248,700±$15kLowest 56% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$333,700±$35k 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,120±$173 36% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,530 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±17.9 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
64.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #165 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Quaboag Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.