Compare towns
Athol vs Lancaster vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Athol has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
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 | Lancaster | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
8,606Lowest |
8,801 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
| Lancaster and Athol 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster 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% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Athol 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±$5k 33% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$67,394±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$248,700±$15kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,120±$173Lowest 36% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403 43% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.2%±17.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
21%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Nashoba | — |
| 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 | 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.