Compare towns
Royalston vs Upton vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalston has the most homeowners (96%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Athol has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Royalston | Upton | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
8,189 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±14.6Highest 20% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
| Royalston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±10Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Royalston and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,109±$8k about the MA average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,300±$18k 38% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,650±$412Highest 6% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Royalston and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,196Lowest 47% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,403 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.7%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Royalston and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 32% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.7%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.