What HUD offices serve Athol, Massachusetts?
Public Housing Agencies operate federally assisted affordable housing programs at local levels on behalf of HUD. Notably, housing agencies are responsible for managing Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, Public Housing, and Project-Based Voucher waiting lists within their jurisdiction.
Go to the Massachusetts Public Housing and Low-Income Apartments Waiting Lists page for openings near Athol.
How many renters live in Athol, Massachusetts?
The City of Athol has 9,148 people living in 3,538 households.
There are 2,572 renters living in 1,252 renter households in this City. Renters make up 28.12 percent of the population living in Athol.
What is the rental market like in Athol, Massachusetts?
There are an estimated 3,911 housing units in the Athol area. Of these, 1,314 units are rental homes, making up 34 percent of the housing market. For every renter household in Athol, Massachusetts, there are 1 rental units.
What is the vacancy rate for rentals in Athol?
The rental vacancy rate in Athol is 3 percent. This is a lower than average vacancy rate. When rental vacancy rates are low there are fewer available units. Rents tend to be higher as more people compete for scarce housing.
How many rental units are in Athol for each bedroom size?
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Athol
| Studio | One-Bedroom | Two-Bedroom | Three-Bedroom | Four+ Bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 71 | 371 | 522 | 225 | 45 |
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Athol
A large number of apartments in Athol have two or fewer bedrooms. Seniors and young professionals especially may have more success finding an apartment that meets their needs.
How many renter households in Athol are overburdened by housing costs?
Among renter households in this market, 52 percent have housing cost burden. Further, 22 percent of households are extremely rent overburdened. When renters pay too much for their housing, it leaves little money for other necessities like food, clothes, or medicine.
The federal government says that renters are cost-burdened if they pay more than a third of their monthly income for rent and utilities.
How Much Is Rent in Athol
Depending on size, the Fair Market Rent - HUDs measurement of the cost of an average housing unit - ranges from $1,072 to $2,373. FMRs are updated annually by HUD for every city and county nationwide.
| Bed Size | 2024 Fair Market Rents |
| Studio | $1,072 |
| One BR | $1,238 |
| Two BR | $1,582 |
| Three BR | $2,055 |
| Four BR | $2,373 |
2024 Fair Market Rents in Athol, Massachusetts
How many units are rented at Fair Market Rent (FMR) in Athol?
Renters with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher must select a home that is at or below the area’s Fair Market Rent. Markets with a large share of units above FMR tend to have longer search times to find a qualified unit, while those with a large share of units below FMR tend to have more choices and shorter search times. The share below FMR can vary by size of unit, as shown in the table below.
These are the approximate number of units renting below the FMR in this market:
| Unit Size | Count of Units Below FMR | Percentage of Total Units Below FMR |
| Studio | 71 | 100 percent |
| One BR | 320 | 86 percent |
| Two BR | 399 | 76 percent |
Rental Units Below FMR in Athol, Massachusetts
How many affordable rental units are in Athol?
There are a variety of federal affordable housing programs serving households in Athol, Massachusetts including the following:
| Federal Program | Unit Count |
| Low Income Housing Tax Credit | 154 |
| Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance | 83 |
Tracked Units by Federal Program in Athol, Massachusetts
Rental units may be funded in part by multiple federal programs.
Income Based Apartments in Athol, Massachusetts
Athol features 117 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.
Low Rent Apartments in Athol, Massachusetts
There are 103 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Athol.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Athol, Massachusetts
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Athol landlords $800 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $400 towards rent in Athol.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Athol, Massachusetts for a two-bedroom apartment is between $1,259 and $1,539.
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
