What stands out worked out from the figures below

Athol has the most homeowners (72.4%).

Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).

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	Providence
People
Population	12,011Lowest	191,767Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±1.9Highest 6% above U.S.	32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%	20.1%±1Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Athol and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,316±$5kHighest 14% below U.S.	$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S.
	Athol and Providence 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.	$362,200±$8kHighest 9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,150±$182Lowest 19% below U.S.	$1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S.	$4,418Highest 42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	48%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Athol and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953Highest 27 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	25 minLowest 5% below U.S.
Work from home	10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Providence 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	#36 of 38 in RI
School district	Athol-Royalston	MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative
High school in town	Athol High	Classical High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Lowest	17.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.