What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanover has the most expensive homes ($755k median).

Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).

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	Hanover	Athol
People
Population	14,845Highest	12,011Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.8±1.4Highest 4% above MA	41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA
	Hanover and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%	21.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Hanover and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.3%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Athol and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	56.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%	3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Hanover and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA	$69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$755,400±$39kHighest 34% above MA	$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,845±$341Highest 5% above MA	$1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,342Highest 56% above MA	$3,403Lowest 43% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8%	57.5%±17.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hanover and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest MA: 10%	16.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA	1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 10% above MA	27 minLowest 8% below MA
Work from home	19.6%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6%	10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#69 of 282 in MA	#256 of 282 in MA
School district	Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical	Athol-Royalston
High school in town	South Shore Vocational Technical High	Athol High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	11.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.