Compare towns
Athol vs Colrain 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 most kids (21.8% under 18).
Colrain has the most homeowners (86.5%).
Palmer Town has the most renters (28.5% rent).
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 | Colrain | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011 |
1,627Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
49.6±8.7Highest 24% above MA |
47.8±5.6 20% above MA |
| Colrain and Palmer Town 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% |
15.3%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.4%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Athol and Palmer Town 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 |
$80,673±$10kHighest 22% below MA |
$78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
| Colrain and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$284,300±$14kHighest 49% below MA |
$271,400±$21k 52% below MA |
| Colrain and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182Highest 35% below MA |
$1,102±$77 37% below MA |
$1,075±$103Lowest 39% below MA |
| Athol and Colrain 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 |
$4,317 28% below MA |
$4,540Highest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
46%±22.8Lowest 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% |
7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Athol and Colrain 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 | — | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Mohawk Trail | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.