$344,541Average Value$235Average Price per Sq Ft10Homes For Sale
Still making things in Massachusetts
Athol is the rare mill town where manufacturing persevered into the digital age. This hilly, rustic village in the Quabbin Valley of Massachusetts is home to precision tool maker L. S. Starrett Company, which started operations at its massive brick mill on the Millers River in 1880. Starrett’s perseverance is a source of pride for Athol. “That’s the world headquarters of Starrett,” says Keith McGuirk, a now-retired Realtor and Athol native who sold houses in the area for 25 years. “They don’t employ as many people as they used to, but they’re still the town’s largest employer.” The town maintains a rural, old New England feel with its 19th-century farmhouses, industrial-age downtown, ample acreage and streetscapes lined with leafy deciduous trees.
Starrett Tools is the largest employer in Athol, MA.
Aging colonials and New England farmhouses
Houses in Athol came online in the 19th- and 20th centuries, but new construction is underway. Rustic wooden houses built in the late 1900s show their age, with fading wooden porches and red siding that lost its brightness. Multifamily homes with shuttered windows, farmhouses on several acres, lakefront properties and early 20th-century colonials on sloped streets near downtown are typical. Home prices range between $132,000 and $585,500. The average home value is $290,487.
Queen Anne style homes are available in Athol.
Turn-of-the-century downtown Athol
Downtown Athol came online around the same time Starrett began operations. The Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad provided direct service between Athol and Boston. Downtown features Italianate, Victorian and Second Empire structures built around the turn of the 20th century. Today, accounting offices, insurance businesses and pizzerias use the first floors of these century-old brick buildings. Athol House of Pizza Restaurant makes pies with homemade dough and sauce daily. After work, people head to the bar at Los Agaves Grill and order fajitas and margaritas. And in a nondescript brown building with two blinking Bud Light signs is Olde Tyme New England Seafood Company, a low-key eatery known for its large portion sizes of clam strips and fried shrimp. Neighbors catch the latest releases in town at Athol Cinemas 8.
Athol was officially incorporated in 1762.
The Athol-Royalston school to career pipeline
Kids in Athol can attend public school through the Athol-Royalston Regional School District, which serves about 1,700 students. The district has four schools. Children in Athol can attend Athol Community Elementary School, rated C by Niche. They then move to Athol-Royalston Middle School, which scores a C-minus, and Athol High School, which earns a C. Athol students can participate in Innovation Career Pathways, where kids can take post-secondary courses to gain industry credentials for free in fields like manufacturing and health care.
Nature and street hockey in North Central Mass
North Central Massachusetts is known for its hills, forests spanning thousands of acres and wide-open vistas, prime for viewing fall foliage. In Athol, neighbors stroll along a nature trail and launch their canoes into the river at Alan E. Rich Environmental Park, a conservation area in the center of town. Boaters and fishermen also use the 88-acre Lake Ellis, which has a sandy beach staffed by town lifeguards in the summertime. Neighbors come together to play hockey at the 202 Street Hockey Association. Hockey is huge in Massachusetts. People love the Boston Bruins, and nearby Worcester has the Worcester Railers, a minor league team.
Athol is 70 miles west of Boston.
All the essentials and Athol Hospital
Grocery chains Market Basket and Hannaford have locations in Athol. Walmart Supercenter is in Orange, about 4 miles west of the center of town. People buy clothing at Marshalls, dog and cat food at Pet Supplies Plus and miscellaneous goods at Hobby Lobby. Quick-service chains like Taco Bell, Dunkin and Starbucks are next to Hobby Lobby, in a retail plaza McGuirk says was built in the 2010s. “The state moves westward due to increasing real estate values primarily, but people can find much better deals out here,” he says. “With that higher population and increase in commuters, there was an impetus for retailers to open here. That customer base didn’t exist 20-30 years ago.” Athol also has its own hospital, Athol Hospital, part of Gardner-based Heywood Healthcare.
Athol House of Pizza serves gourmet pizza.
Road and train access to New England
Athol sits along Massachusetts Route 2, a major east-west thoroughfare that goes west to Williamstown and east to Cambridge. The town sits about 10 miles south of the New Hampshire border, 44 miles north of Springfield and 75 miles west of Boston. Amtrak service is available in Greenfield, about 26 miles west, and the route runs south through Springfield and ends in New Haven, Connecticut.
Written By
Tina Davis
Photography Contributed By
Perez Folds
Video By
Brandon Flash Craigie
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GreatSchools:
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On average, homes in Athol, MA sell after 46 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Athol, MA over the last 12 months is $335,000, up 8% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Move-in ready and full of charm, this well-maintained 3-bedroom traditional home offers a welcoming layout and updates throughout. The first floor features a spacious living room, formal dining room, cozy country kitchen, convenient mudroom with laundry, and a full bath. Upstairs, you’ll find all three bedrooms tucked away for privacy. Recent improvements include updated windows, siding, slider,
LOOK @ this Price ! and Available IMMEDIATElLY !!!. Room for an In-Law apartment ? Come and take a LOOK @ this One ! Enjoy the Western Sunset View from your private Deck ! Feel like you are away from it all ; yet being in a Quiet and Convenient Location ! This Exceptionally Well maintained Single Story Home has Recent Updated Improvements such as Architectural Shingle Roof, Thermal
Step into timeless elegance with this beautifully maintained 4-bedroom Victorian home, featuring a fully remodeled kitchen with modern finishes, hard wood floors throughout, and a bright sun porch perfect for relaxing year-round. The large spacious layout offers plenty of room to entertain, including a large deck overlooking the back yard, Additional highlights include a one-car garage, classic
Spacious 2nd floor apartment centrally located and walking distance to downtown Athol and the YMCA. Heat ,Hot water, and Electricity ! References, 1st and Last month's rent , Open Concept Living area. Apartment is recently remodeled ! Hardwood Floors Throughout, New Modern and spacious Kitchen...State of the art new appliances............Available April 1st !
Property Id: 1383491Welcome to your new home at 150 Green Street in Athol, MA! This Spacious 4 bedroom, 1 bathroom unit features modern amenities including a dishwasher, refrigerator, hardwood floors and brand new windows. Enjoy the convenience of off-street parking, a lawn, and being near parks, off route 2A for easy commuting. Don't miss out on this opportunity! Rent for $2500/month
Welcome to 526 Crescent St in Athol Ma. This townhouse style 2 bedroom unit offers the feeling of single family living with 2 floors of living space, private entrances, off street parking, and laundry hook ups in the basement. This property also boasts a nice yard for your outdoor enjoyment. City views in the heart of Athol, close to shopping, restaurants, and route 2. Available for immediate
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