Compare towns
Phillipston vs Warren vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Phillipston has the highest household income ($95k).
Warren has the most renters (35.5% rent).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
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 | Warren | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,895Lowest |
5,009 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±1.7Highest 22% above MA |
38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±8 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Athol and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.2% MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| 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±$14kHighest 9% below MA |
$66,082±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $372,400±$27kHighest 34% below MA |
$333,700±$35k 41% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Phillipston and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$849Highest 22% below MA |
$890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| 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 35% below MA |
$4,530Highest 24% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
9% MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
64.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 9.2%±3.7 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | — | #165 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Quaboag Regional | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | — | Quaboag Regional High | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.