What stands out worked out from the figures below

Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).

Fitzwilliam has the most people working from home (18.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Athol	Fitzwilliam
People
Population	12,011Highest	2,278Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S.	49.2±4.2Highest 26% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%	15.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	37.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Athol and Fitzwilliam 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.	$100,735±$11kHighest 25% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S.	$305,900±$34kHighest 8% below U.S.
	Fitzwilliam and Athol 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.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S.	$5,173Highest 66% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.5%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	72.1%±51.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Fitzwilliam 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%	9.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S.	1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	39 minHighest 49% above U.S.
Work from home	10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.6%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Fitzwilliam and Athol 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	—
School district	Athol-Royalston	Monadnock Regional School District
High school in town	Athol High	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.