Compare towns

Warren vs Sutton vs Athol

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Warren has the most renters (35.5% rent).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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.

MeasureWarrenSuttonAthol
People
Population
5,009Lowest
9,452
12,011Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.1%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+4.4%Highest
MA: +7.4%
+3.1%
MA: +7.4%
Median age
38.7±7.3Lowest
3% below MA
44.3±2.5Highest
11% above MA
41.3±1.9
3% above MA
Sutton and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
20.8%±8
MA: 19.4%
19.6%±3.3Lowest
MA: 19.4%
21.8%±3.2Highest
MA: 19.4%
Athol and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
14.6%±4.5Lowest
MA: 17.9%
18.8%±3.2
MA: 17.9%
19.3%±2.3Highest
MA: 17.9%
Athol and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
23.2%
MA: 47.3%
52.8%Highest
MA: 47.3%
20.4%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.9%±2.1Lowest
MA: 7.9%
3.9%±1.8Highest
MA: 7.9%
3.6%±1.1
MA: 7.9%
Sutton and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$66,082±$6kLowest
36% below MA
$147,125±$25kHighest
42% above MA
$69,316±$5k
33% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$333,700±$35k
41% below MA
$523,100±$47kHighest
7% below MA
$268,100±$13kLowest
52% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$890±$174Lowest
49% below MA
$1,190±$401Highest
32% below MA
$1,150±$182
35% below MA
Sutton and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,530
24% below MA
$6,763Highest
13% above MA
$3,403Lowest
43% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
29.7%±18.4Lowest
MA: 51.8%
47.5%±24.4
MA: 51.8%
57.5%±17.2Highest
MA: 51.8%
Athol and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
9%
MA: 10%
5.8%Lowest
MA: 10%
16.3%Highest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
64.5%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
89.7%Highest
MA: 62.5%
72.4%
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975
11 yrs newer than MA
1981Highest
17 yrs newer than MA
1953Lowest
11 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
13% above MA
30 min
about the MA average
27 minLowest
8% below MA
Work from home
8.5%±5.4Lowest
MA: 18.6%
22.7%±4.1Highest
MA: 18.6%
10.6%±3.3
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #165 of 282 in MA #105 of 282 in MA #256 of 282 in MA
School district Quaboag Regional Sutton Athol-Royalston
High school in town Quaboag Regional High Sutton High School Athol High
Students per teacherat that high school
10.0Lowest
12.6Highest
11.6
On TownTapestry
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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.