Compare towns
Athol vs Devens vs Upton vs Phillipston
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 affordable homes ($268k median).
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Phillipston has the most homeowners (92.4%).
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 | Devens | Upton | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
1,723Lowest |
8,189 |
1,895 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
48.6±4.3 22% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
48.8±1.7Highest 22% above MA |
| Phillipston and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17%±5 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Athol 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%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% |
21.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Devens 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 33% below MA |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$94,692±$14k 9% below MA |
| Devens and Upton 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 |
$556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$372,400±$27k 34% below MA |
| Upton and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,500±$539Highest 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,375±$849 22% below MA |
| Devens and Phillipston 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 |
$5,556 7% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,914 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Phillipston and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% MA: 10% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
92.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Devens and Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | Athol High | — | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.