What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Reading	Athol
People
Population	25,612Highest	12,011Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1% MA: +7.4%	+3.1% MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA	41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA
	Reading and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%	21.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Reading and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%	19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Reading and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	3.6%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Athol and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA	$69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA	$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA	$1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Highest 56% above MA	$3,403Lowest 43% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%	16.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA	1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	27 minLowest 8% below MA
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%	10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#50 of 282 in MA	#256 of 282 in MA
School district	Reading	Athol-Royalston
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Athol High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.