Compare towns
Windham vs Athol vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Athol has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Windham | Athol | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
8,801Highest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$67,394±$8kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
| Windham and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$248,700±$15kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$271,100±$27k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,120±$173Highest 21% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Athol and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
21%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Windham 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 | — | #256 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.