Compare towns
Athol vs Salisbury vs Dudley
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 affordable homes ($268k median).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (28%).
Dudley has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
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.
| Measure | Athol | Salisbury | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
4,224Lowest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
44.2±9.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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% |
19.2%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Dudley 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% |
28.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$124,256±$26kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$763,700±$121kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$392,600±$19k 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,846±$736Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Dudley 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. |
$5,125Highest 64% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.2%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Dudley 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% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #19 of 149 in CT | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Salisbury School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| 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.