Compare towns
Newark vs Athol vs Burke
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newark has the most affordable homes ($230k median).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
Burke has the most people working from home (23.4%).
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 | Newark | Athol | Burke |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 727Lowest |
12,011Highest |
1,317 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.4±6Highest 6% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
41.1±4.8Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Newark and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Burke and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Burke and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,929±$7k 10% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$87,143±$17kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Burke and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,900±$23kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$340,600±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,708±$97Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$938±$191Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,771 21% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$5,177Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.1%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
74.6%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Burke and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
10%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.8%±8.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Burke and Newark 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Athol-Royalston | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | None in town | Athol High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.