Compare towns

Webster vs Killingly vs Athol

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Killingly has the highest household income ($84k).
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.

MeasureWebsterKillinglyAthol
People
Population
12,228
17,867Highest
12,011Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+3.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
37.2±2.1Lowest
4% below U.S.
39.5±3
about the U.S. average
41.3±1.9Highest
6% above U.S.
Athol and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
21.8%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21.8%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
15.7%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±2.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.3%±2.3
U.S.: 17.2%
Killingly and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
18.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
20.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
3.6%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Webster and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$63,837±$8kLowest
21% below U.S.
$84,350±$8kHighest
4% above U.S.
$69,316±$5k
14% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$333,100±$14kHighest
about the U.S. average
$288,600±$15k
13% below U.S.
$268,100±$13kLowest
19% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,198±$85Highest
15% below U.S.
$1,044±$141Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,150±$182
19% below U.S.
Webster and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,234Lowest
4% above U.S.
$3,922Highest
26% above U.S.
$3,403
9% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.1%±7.4
U.S.: 51.1%
42.8%±10.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
57.5%±17.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Athol and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
16%
U.S.: 12.5%
11.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
16.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
45.5%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
71.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
72.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1954
26 yrs older than U.S.
1968Highest
12 yrs older than U.S.
1953Lowest
27 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 min
4% above U.S.
28 minHighest
6% above U.S.
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
Work from home
7.1%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.6%±3.3
U.S.: 15.1%
Killingly 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 #271 of 282 in MA #136 of 149 in CT #256 of 282 in MA
School district — Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS Athol-Royalston
High school in town — Killingly High School Athol High
Students per teacherat that high school —
11.1Lowest
11.6Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.