Compare towns
Winchendon vs Warren vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchendon has the highest household income ($76k).
Warren has the most renters (35.5% rent).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
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 | Winchendon | Warren | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,440 |
5,009Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±1.9 about the MA average |
38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
41.3±1.9Highest 3% above MA |
| Athol and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Athol and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4% MA: 47.3% |
23.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Winchendon and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,690±$14kHighest 27% below MA |
$66,082±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Winchendon and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,800±$19k 42% below MA |
$333,700±$35kHighest 41% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Warren and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$163Highest 29% below MA |
$890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Winchendon and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,780 37% below MA |
$4,530Highest 24% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±17.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Winchendon and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest MA: 10% |
9%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
64.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Winchendon 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 | #269 of 282 in MA | #165 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Winchendon | Quaboag Regional | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Murdock High School | Quaboag Regional High | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
10.0Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.