Compare towns
Athol vs Plainfield 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).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
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 | Plainfield | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Lowest |
15,141Highest |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
47.8±5.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Palmer Town and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Palmer Town 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield 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. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$78,480±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Palmer Town and Plainfield 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. |
$272,100±$16kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$271,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Athol 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. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,540Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 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 |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Athol and Plainfield 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Plainfield School District | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Athol High | Plainfield High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
10.3 |
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.