Compare towns
Phillipston vs Plainville 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).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Athol has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Plainville | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,895Lowest |
17,551Highest |
12,011 |
| 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. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±5 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Phillipston 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% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville 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% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,692±$14kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Phillipston and Plainville 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. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$849Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% 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. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Phillipston and Athol 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% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainville 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 | — | #89 of 149 in CT | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | — | Plainville High School | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| 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.