What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).

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	Thompson
People
Population	8,801Lowest	9,337Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.7% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S.	54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S.
Kids under 18	25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22%	11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.9% U.S.: 35.7%	21.9% U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Athol and Thompson 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.	$93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$248,700±$15kLowest 25% below U.S.	$291,900±$24kHighest 12% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,120±$173Highest 21% below U.S.	$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S.
	Athol and Thompson 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	$3,822Highest 23% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.2%±17.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	54%±18.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Athol and Thompson 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%	5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S.	1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	9.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Thompson 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	#130 of 149 in CT
School district	—	Thompson School District
High school in town	—	Tourtellotte Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	7.9
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.