States › Massachusetts › Athol

Is Athol, MA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 20 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,23630% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$72,684about $6,057/month · 17% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$248,70025% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 73% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.4 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $49,440 a year. That is $24 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Massachusetts cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Massachusetts. It is number 10 of 123 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Athol
$1,236
Andover
$2,881
Middleborough Center
$2,301
Plymouth
$2,790
Nantucket
$2,458
Clinton
$1,912
Hull
$3,231

How much do households earn in Athol?

Under $25k
22.7%
$25k–50k
19.3%
$50k–100k
39.6%
$100k–150k
9.7%
$150k+
6.0%

Share of households by yearly income. 15.7% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Athol

SizeAtholU.S. average
Studio$726$1,338
1 bedroom$927$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,405$1,509
3 bedrooms$2,015$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Athol overall?

Everyday prices in Massachusetts overall are 6% above the U.S. average (index 105.8, U.S. = 100).

Housing
128
Goods (food, clothes…)
99
Utilities
152
Other services
103
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Athol, so the Massachusetts figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Athol

🏛️ Property tax$3,170a year · 1.27% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$183a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Athol

Commute to work26.3 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree21.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home63.7%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line21%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment8.6%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Athol?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $490 a month less.

Renting
$1,236
Owning
$1,726

Owning assumes a typical $248,700 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $24,870 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Athol, MA?

Renting in Athol costs a median of about $1,236 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Massachusetts median is $2,331.

How much do I need to make to live in Athol?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $49,440 a year, or $24 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Athol cheap or expensive?

Athol is rated OK: rent takes 20.4% of the typical household income of $72,684. It ranks 10th cheapest of 123 Massachusetts cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Athol?

The median homeowner in Athol pays $3,170 a year in property taxes, about 1.27% of the median home value.

Is Athol more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Massachusetts are 6% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Athol?

The median home value in Athol is $248,700, about 3.4 times the typical yearly household income.

8,801 people live in Athol. Numbers are typical (middle) values.