What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

New Salem has the most people working from home (19.4%).

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.

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

Measure	Athol	New Salem
People
Population	12,011Highest	1,054Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA	55.6±2.4Highest 39% above MA
Kids under 18	21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4%	14.5%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Athol and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	23.7%±6.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	New Salem 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%	35.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%	3.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Athol and New Salem 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	$79,688±$19kHighest 23% below MA
	New Salem and Athol 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	$359,000±$40kHighest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA	$1,194±$88Highest 32% below MA
	New Salem 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	$4,509Highest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.5%±17.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	86.7%±25.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	New Salem 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%	9.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	89%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA	1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 8% below MA	23 minLowest 20% below MA
Work from home	10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.4%±8Highest MA: 18.6%
	New Salem 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	—
High school in town	Athol High	—
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.