Compare towns
Ludlow vs Athol vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ludlow has the most people working from home (14%).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
Springfield has the most renters (50.4% rent).
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 | Ludlow | Athol | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,904 |
12,011Lowest |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8Highest 11% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
| Ludlow and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Springfield and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ludlow and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
20.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,838±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$10kHighest 40% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,223±$82Highest 31% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
| Ludlow and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,918Highest 18% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,695 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest same as MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 31% below MA |
27 minHighest 8% below MA |
20 min 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 14%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ludlow 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 | #154 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ludlow | Athol-Royalston | Springfield |
| High school in town | Ludlow Senior High | Athol High | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.6 |
12.2Highest |
| 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.