Compare towns
Clinton vs Athol vs Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Clinton has the most renters (45.3% rent).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Boylston has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Clinton | Athol | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,563Highest |
12,011 |
4,948Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.6±2.7Lowest 4% below MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.6% MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,781±$10k 14% below MA |
$69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA |
$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $387,300±$19k 31% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$76 20% below MA |
$1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,654 22% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$7,266Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±6.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
79.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest about the MA average |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.2%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Boylston and Clinton 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 | #246 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Clinton | Athol-Royalston | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Clinton Senior High | Athol High | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.