Compare towns
Templeton vs Athol vs Phillipston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Templeton has the most people working from home (16.9%).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($249k median).
Phillipston has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
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 | Templeton | Athol | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,252 |
8,801Highest |
1,895Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±5.1 about the MA average |
36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
48.8±1.7Highest 22% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
17%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Phillipston and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.6Highest 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 | $101,154±$15kHighest about the MA average |
$67,394±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$94,692±$14k 9% below MA |
| Templeton and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $358,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$248,700±$15kLowest 56% below MA |
$372,400±$27kHighest 34% below MA |
| Phillipston and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$353 31% below MA |
$1,120±$173Lowest 36% below MA |
$1,375±$849Highest 22% below MA |
| Phillipston and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,554Highest 24% below MA |
$3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
$3,914 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.2%±17.9 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest 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 | 10.6% MA: 10% |
21%Highest MA: 10% |
5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3% MA: 62.5% |
63.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Templeton 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 | #244 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Narragansett | — | — |
| High school in town | Narragansett Regional High | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — |
| 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.