Compare towns
Athol vs Harvard vs Upton vs Dudley
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).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Dudley has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
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 | Harvard | Upton | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
6,927Lowest |
8,189 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Harvard 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% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Lowest 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% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±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% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,321±$424Highest 25% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Harvard and Dudley 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard 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% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Harvard | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Athol High | The Bromfield High School | Blackstone Valley | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.0Lowest |
11.2 |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.