Compare towns
Warren vs West Brookfield 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).
West Brookfield has the most people working from home (18.9%).
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.
| Measure | Warren | West Brookfield | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,009 |
3,859Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
58.5±3.2Highest 46% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±8 MA: 19.4% |
13%±3.8Lowest 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% |
35.9%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2% MA: 47.3% |
34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Athol and Warren 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 |
$95,613±$12kHighest 8% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,700±$35k 41% below MA |
$354,000±$21kHighest 37% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| West Brookfield and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,236±$271Highest 30% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| West Brookfield and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,530Highest 24% below MA |
$4,260 29% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
30.3%±18.8 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% MA: 10% |
8.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±15Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| West Brookfield 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 | #165 of 282 in MA | #162 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quaboag Regional | Quaboag Regional | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Quaboag Regional High | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
— | 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.