Compare towns
Athol vs Brooklyn vs Hampton
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 renters (27.6% rent).
Brooklyn has the most expensive homes ($315k median).
Hampton has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Brooklyn | Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
8,517 |
1,647Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
51.5±5.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn 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 14% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$109,167±$19kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$295,800±$27k 11% below U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,285±$288Highest 9% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Athol 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. |
$4,538Highest 45% above U.S. |
$4,364 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±51.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Hampton 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% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton and Brooklyn 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 | #113 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Brooklyn School District | Hampton School District |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | — |
| 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.