Compare towns
Athol vs Ayer vs Palmer Town
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Palmer Town has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Ayer | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011 |
8,645Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
| Palmer Town and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Palmer Town and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ayer and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA |
$101,875±$15kHighest about the MA average |
$78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$463,800±$29kHighest 17% below MA |
$271,400±$21k 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,415±$180Highest 20% below MA |
$1,075±$103Lowest 39% below MA |
| Ayer and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,057Highest 16% below MA |
$4,540 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
10.7% MA: 10% |
8.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Ayer Shirley School District | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Athol High | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.5 |
9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.