Compare towns
Athol vs Ogunquit vs Palmer Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Palmer Town has the most renters (28.5% rent).
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 | Ogunquit | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011 |
1,379Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6 23% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ogunquit 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 14% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Ogunquit 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 19% below U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$271,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182Highest 19% below U.S. |
— | $1,075±$103Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Athol and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$4,540Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | — | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | — | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Athol High | — | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.