Compare towns
Halifax vs Athol vs Plympton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($249k median).
Plympton has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Halifax | Athol | Plympton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,748 |
8,801Highest |
2,935Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
46.4±4.2Highest 16% above MA |
| Plympton and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plympton and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
38.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Halifax and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,556±$11k 14% above MA |
$67,394±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
| Plympton and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $481,500±$51k 14% below MA |
$248,700±$15kLowest 56% below MA |
$517,800±$52kHighest 8% below MA |
| Plympton and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,804±$375Highest about the MA average |
$1,120±$173 36% below MA |
$555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,840Highest 14% above MA |
$3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
$6,628 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.2%±17.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.8%±40.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
21%Highest MA: 10% |
10.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Plympton and Halifax 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #110 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | — | Plympton |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.