Compare towns
Deerfield vs Athol vs Montague
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the highest household income ($106k).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
Montague has the most renters (37.3% 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 | Deerfield | Athol | Montague |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158Lowest |
12,011Highest |
8,482 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
44.3±3.1 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Montague and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14kHighest about the MA average |
$69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA |
$70,510±$12k 32% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37kHighest 26% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$282,100±$17k 50% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318Highest 24% below MA |
$1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,207±$115 31% below MA |
| Deerfield and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Highest about the MA average |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,922 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Montague and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
11.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
62.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 40% below MA |
27 minHighest 8% below MA |
21 min 28% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Deerfield and Montague 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #265 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Athol-Royalston | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | Athol High | Franklin County Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.6 |
11.7Highest |
| 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.