Compare towns
Winchendon vs Woonsocket 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
Winchendon has the highest household income ($76k).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
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 | Winchendon | Woonsocket | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,440Lowest |
43,521Highest |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±1.9 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
41.3±1.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
| 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%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Winchendon 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 6% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| 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±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,780 21% above U.S. |
$3,960Highest 27% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±17.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.2%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Winchendon | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Murdock High School | Woonsocket High School | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
15.2Highest |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.