Compare towns
Phillipston vs Guildhall vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Phillipston has the most expensive homes ($372k median).
Guildhall has the highest household income ($115k).
Athol has the most renters (27.6% 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 | Phillipston | Guildhall | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,895 |
371Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±1.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
42.6±7.8 10% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Phillipston and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±7.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Guildhall and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Guildhall and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Phillipston and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,692±$14k 17% above U.S. |
$115,000±$46kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Guildhall and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $372,400±$27kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$321,200±$62k 3% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Phillipston and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$849Highest about the U.S. average |
$850±$717Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Phillipston and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,914 25% above U.S. |
$4,625Highest 48% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
75%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Phillipston and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.2%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Athol and Phillipston 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 |
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.