Compare towns
Athol vs Upton vs Worcester vs Royalston
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).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Royalston has the most homeowners (96%).
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 | Upton | Worcester | Royalston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
8,189 |
207,055Highest |
1,460Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
47.8±14.6Highest 20% above MA |
| Royalston 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±10 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
28.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$102,109±$8k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$346,300±$18k 38% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$1,650±$412Highest 6% below MA |
| Royalston and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403 43% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
$3,196Lowest 47% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
85.7%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Royalston and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
38 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
10.7%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Athol High | Blackstone Valley | South High Community | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.2Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.