What stands out worked out from the figures below

Athol has the most kids (25.2% under 18).

Plainville has the highest household income ($84k).

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	Plainville
People
Population	8,801Lowest	17,551Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.7% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S.	44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S.
Kids under 18	25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22%	15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	30%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainville 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.	$84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$248,700±$15kLowest 25% below U.S.	$254,000±$14kHighest 24% below U.S.
	Plainville and Athol 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.	$1,126±$147Highest 20% below U.S.
	Plainville 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	$4,798Highest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.2%±17.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Athol and Plainville 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%	6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	67.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.
Work from home	9.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	10.7%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Plainville 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	#89 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town	—	Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.4
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.