Compare towns
Athol vs Douglas 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).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
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 | Douglas | Upton | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
9,207 |
8,189 |
1,895Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
48.8±1.7Highest 22% above MA |
| Phillipston and Upton 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% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17%±5Lowest 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% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest 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% |
41.7% 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% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas 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 |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$94,692±$14k 9% below MA |
| Upton and Douglas 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 |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$372,400±$27k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,375±$849 22% below MA |
| Douglas 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 |
$6,338 6% above 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% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
92.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Douglas 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Douglas | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | Athol High | Douglas High School | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
7.2Lowest |
11.2 |
— |
| 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.