What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hampton has the most expensive homes ($545k median).

Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hampton	Athol
People
Population	10,101Lowest	12,011Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	51.2±1.7Highest 32% above U.S.	41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S.
Kids under 18	14.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	26.9%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Athol and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,163±$4kHighest 20% above U.S.	$69,316±$5kLowest 14% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$545,300±$63kHighest 64% above U.S.	$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,654±$93Highest 17% above U.S.	$1,150±$182Lowest 19% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,872Highest 120% above U.S.	$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.9%±13.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Athol and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	72.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.	1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#31 of 120 in NH	#256 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Athol-Royalston
High school in town	—	Athol High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.