Compare towns
Athol vs Bow vs Phillipston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Phillipston has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
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 | Bow | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
8,335 |
1,895Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
48.8±1.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Athol and Phillipston 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Phillipston 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 14% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$94,692±$14k 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$372,400±$27k 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,375±$849 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,914 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Phillipston and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Bow School District | — |
| High school in town | Athol High | Bow High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.