Compare towns
Sheldon vs Athol vs Proctor vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheldon has the most people working from home (13%).
Athol has the most renters (36.3% rent).
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
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 | Sheldon | Athol | Proctor | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,267 |
8,801Highest |
1,794Lowest |
1,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.5 5% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42.4±6.4Highest 9% above U.S. |
42.3±2.7 9% above U.S. |
| Proctor and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfield and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Athol and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,533±$25k about the U.S. average |
$67,394±$8kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$74,167±$12k 8% below U.S. |
$87,019±$22kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Fairfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,400±$61k 18% below U.S. |
$248,700±$15k 25% below U.S. |
$209,900±$17kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$320,600±$22kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Fairfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$379Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,120±$173 21% below U.S. |
$1,029±$202Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,056±$441 25% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,578 15% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,032 29% above U.S. |
$4,816Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±20.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1940 40 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sheldon 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 | — | #256 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.