Compare towns
Athol vs Hatfield 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).
Hatfield has the most expensive homes ($441k median).
Palmer Town has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Hatfield | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011 |
3,325Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
46.8±5 17% above MA |
47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
| Palmer Town and Hatfield 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% |
14%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Hatfield and Palmer Town 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% |
48.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hatfield and Athol 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 |
$89,005±$25kHighest 14% below MA |
$78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
| Hatfield 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 |
$440,800±$26kHighest 22% below MA |
$271,400±$21k 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,267±$216Highest 28% below MA |
$1,075±$103Lowest 39% below MA |
| Hatfield and Athol 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 |
$4,930Highest 18% below MA |
$4,540 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±11.8Lowest 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% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
8.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
74.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
20 minLowest 30% below MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
16%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Hatfield 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 | #198 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Hatfield | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Athol High | Smith Academy | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
6.1Lowest |
9.9 |
| 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.