Compare towns
Erving vs Athol vs Gill
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).
Gill has the most people working from home (14.9%).
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 | Erving | Athol | Gill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,703Lowest |
12,011Highest |
1,740 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±2.4 8% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
| Gill and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±8.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.1%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Erving and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1% MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Gill and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,656±$9k 25% below MA |
$69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA |
$90,208±$14kHighest 13% below MA |
| Gill and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,800±$20k 52% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$340,100±$17kHighest 39% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,163±$213 34% below MA |
$1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,193±$246Highest 32% below MA |
| Gill and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,870Lowest 69% below MA |
$3,403 43% below MA |
$4,318Highest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.5%±23Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
62.7%±10.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Gill and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% below MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
21 minLowest 29% below MA |
| Work from home | 3.6%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Gill 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 | — |
| School district | Erving | Athol-Royalston | Gill-Montague |
| High school in town | None in town | Athol High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| 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.