Compare towns
Athol vs Temple 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).
Temple has the most people working from home (16.9%).
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 | Temple | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011 |
1,363Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6 23% above U.S. |
| Temple and Palmer Town 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% |
14.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Athol and Palmer Town 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. |
$94,107±$15kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Temple 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. |
$401,000±$27kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$271,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,169±$523Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Temple 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. |
$6,983Highest 124% above U.S. |
$4,540 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.2%±54.1Lowest 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% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Temple 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 | — | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Contoocook Valley School District | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.