Compare towns
New Salem vs Athol vs Leyden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Salem has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Athol has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Leyden has the highest household income ($106k).
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 | New Salem | Athol | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,054 |
12,011Highest |
637Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.6±2.4Highest 39% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
53.2±8.2 33% above MA |
| New Salem and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.5%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±6.5 MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.6%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Leyden and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4% MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Athol and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,688±$19k 23% below MA |
$69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA |
$105,893±$13kHighest about the MA average |
| Leyden and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $359,000±$40k 36% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$372,900±$24kHighest 34% below MA |
| Leyden and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$88 32% below MA |
$1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,917±$451Highest 9% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,509 25% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,651Highest 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 86.7%±25.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
42.9%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| New Salem and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
10.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89% MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 20% below MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
33 minHighest 12% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.4%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11%±5 MA: 18.6% |
| New Salem and Leyden 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 | — |
| 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 | 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.