Compare towns
Hampton vs Athol vs Brooklyn vs Scotland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampton has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Athol has the most renters (27.6% rent).
Brooklyn has the most expensive homes ($315k median).
Scotland has the most homeowners (91.8%).
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 | Hampton | Athol | Brooklyn | Scotland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,647 |
12,011Highest |
8,517 |
1,599Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 51.5±5.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
44.7±5 15% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Scotland and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,167±$19kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$99,881±$12k 24% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Scotland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,800±$27k 11% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$294,100±$20k 12% below U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,285±$288Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,188±$468 16% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Scotland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,364 40% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$6,175Highest 98% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±51.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±75.7Lowest 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 | 5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton and Scotland 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 | #113 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Hampton School District | Athol-Royalston | Brooklyn School District | Scotland School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Athol High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.