Compare towns
Temple vs Athol vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Temple has the most people working from home (16.9%).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Sharon has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Temple | Athol | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,363 |
12,011Highest |
442Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
49.4±11.2 27% above U.S. |
| Temple and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±8.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Athol and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,107±$15k 17% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$113,125±$19kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $401,000±$27k 21% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$475,900±$38kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$523 17% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,458±$1kHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,983 124% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$8,274Highest 165% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.2%±54.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.6%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Temple and Sharon 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 | Contoocook Valley School District | Athol-Royalston | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Athol High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| 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.