Compare towns
Athol vs Phillipston vs Upton
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).
Phillipston has the most homeowners (92.4%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Phillipston | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
1,895Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
48.8±1.7Highest 22% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Phillipston and Upton 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% |
17%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest 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% |
17.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest 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% |
25.4% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Phillipston 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 |
$94,692±$14k 9% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$372,400±$27k 34% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,375±$849Highest 22% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Phillipston 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 |
$3,914 35% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Phillipston 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% |
5.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | — | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Athol High | — | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
| 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.