What stands out worked out from the figures below

Athol has the most homeowners (63.7%).

Pawtucket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).

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	Pawtucket
People
Population	8,801Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S.	37.1±0.8Highest 5% below U.S.
	Pawtucket and Athol 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%	22.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Athol and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Athol and Pawtucket 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%	22.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pawtucket and Athol 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.	$68,310±$4kHighest 15% below U.S.
	Pawtucket and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$248,700±$15kLowest 25% below U.S.	$325,500±$8kHighest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,120±$173Lowest 21% below U.S.	$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S.
	Pawtucket 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	$4,115Highest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.2%±17.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Athol and Pawtucket 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%	13.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S.	1947Highest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	9.7%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Athol and Pawtucket 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	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	—	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	—	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	14.6
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.