Athol, MA · standard
ZIP Code 01331
Worcester County, Massachusetts - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 13,263
- 96/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $72,181
- Median income Near-median income area
- $281,400
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 21.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Athol pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 50%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 36%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 96
- people per sq mi
- 75%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 01331 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 01331 (Athol, MA) rose +11.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 254.9 in 2023 to 284.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 01331 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts, home to 13,263 residents across 137.9 square miles, a density of 96 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 01331 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $72,181 (38% below the average Massachusetts ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,573. The poverty rate is 14.8%, with unemployment at 7.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $281,400 (53% below the average Massachusetts ZIP), and median rent is $1,160; owner occupancy is 74.9%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42, and the average commute is 27 minutes. The page also surfaces 8 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Worcester County, so 01331 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 01331
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Athol, MA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 01331.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
40 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
35 establishments
- Construction
Construction
27 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
27 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
21 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 01331, Athol, MA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
13,263
Population
137.9
Area (sq mi)
96
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 01331?
42.0
Median Age
50.0%
Male
50.0%
Female
3.4%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$72,181
Median Household Income
-38% vs state ZIP avg
$34,573
Per Capita Income
14.8%
Poverty Rate
7.4%
Unemployment Rate
27.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 01331 ranks among Massachusetts ZIPs
Athol, MA household income vs. every Massachusetts ZIP code
Median household income among 505 reporting Massachusetts ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$72,181 13th percentile higher than 13% of 505 Massachusetts ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Massachusetts ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
6,000housing units
6,000
Total Housing Units
5,396
Occupied Units
604
Vacant Units
2.55
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$281,400
Median Home Value
-53% vs state ZIP avg
$1,160
Median Rent
1957
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+11.7%
YoY Change (2024)
285
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+185%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 01331 have increased 11.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +185% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +6.1% | 175 |
| 2021 | +19.2% | 208 |
| 2022 | +17.9% | 246 |
| 2023 | +3.8% | 255 |
| 2024 | +11.7% | 285 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 232 business establishments in ZIP 01331, employing approximately 3,428 people with a combined annual payroll of $141,660,000.
232
Businesses
3,428
Employees
$141.7M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 40 | 17.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 35 | 15.1% |
| Construction | 27 | 11.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 27 | 11.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 21 | 9.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 12 | 5.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 12 | 5.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 12 | 5.2% |
| Manufacturing | 11 | 4.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 9 | 3.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 8 | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 6 | 2.6% |
| Educational services | 4 | 1.7% |
| Information | 3 | 1.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 01331 vs 01366 →
ZIP 01331 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 01331
Athol (01331)
13,263 residents
- 01475
Winchendon (01475)
10,270 residents
- 01364
Orange (01364)
7,969 residents
- 01005 5,079
Barre (01005)
5,079 residents
- 01468 4,021
Templeton (01468)
4,021 residents
- 01436 3,336
Baldwinville (01436)
3,336 residents
- 01366 1,277
Petersham (01366)
1,277 residents
- 01368 1,261
Royalston (01368)
1,261 residents
- 01355 878
New Salem (01355)
878 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 01331 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 01331 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 01468
Templeton (01468)
$113,427 median income
- 01005
Barre (01005)
$111,148 median income
- 01366
Petersham (01366)
$110,750 median income
- 01368
Royalston (01368)
$102,500 median income
- 01355
New Salem (01355)
$82,713 median income
- 01436
Baldwinville (01436)
$77,721 median income
- 01475
Winchendon (01475)
$76,552 median income
- 01331
Athol (01331)
$72,181 median income
- 01364
Orange (01364)
$55,532 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 01331 ranks #8 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 01331, both outside MA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (13,263 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Worcester County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 01331 in?
ZIP code 01331 (Athol) is located in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Worcester County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/worcester-ma.
What is the population of ZIP code 01331?
ZIP code 01331 in Athol, MA has a population of 13,263 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 01331?
The median household income in ZIP 01331 is $72,181, which is 5% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 01331?
The median home value in ZIP 01331 is $281,400, which is 1% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 01331?
The largest racial group in ZIP 01331 is White at 89.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 01331?
ZIP code 01331 has 232 business establishments employing approximately 3,428 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 01331?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 01331 are: Retail trade (40), Health care and social assistance (35), Construction (27). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 01331?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 01331 increased by 11.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 185%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 01331?
In ZIP code 01331, 58.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 01331?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 01331 is 27.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 01331?
In ZIP code 01331, approximately 74.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 01331?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 01331 is 14.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 01331's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 01331 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Athol, MA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.