Compare towns
Athol vs Warwick vs Phillipston
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 kids (21.8% under 18).
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
Phillipston has the most expensive homes ($372k median).
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 | Warwick | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
776Lowest |
1,895 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
0%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
51.4±7.3Highest 29% above MA |
48.8±1.7 22% above MA |
| Warwick and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17%±5 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Phillipston 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% |
23.2%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Warwick 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 MA: 47.3% |
40.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Phillipston 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 33% below MA |
$93,333±$22k 10% below MA |
$94,692±$14kHighest 9% below MA |
| Phillipston and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$349,400±$34k 38% below MA |
$372,400±$27kHighest 34% below MA |
| Phillipston and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,367±$163 22% below MA |
$1,375±$849Highest 22% below MA |
| Phillipston and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,380Highest 27% below MA |
$3,914 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Phillipston and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
92.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
40 minHighest 37% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Warwick | — |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.