ATHOL — Athol may not have much else in common with south Florida, but a financial technology company says it is one of the best places to retire in Massachusetts.
SmartAsset, headquartered in New York, recently released the results of its second annual study on the best places to retire and Athol ranked 10th. The study rates cities by their tax friendliness, recreational and social opportunities for seniors, and availability of medical care.
According to SmartAsset’s chart, Athol has 1.4 doctor’s offices and 0.6 retirement centers per 1,000 people. Senior citizens are 13.3 percent of the population.
Athol has long been plagued with negative publicity that has produced an undesired overall reputation. But Town Manager Shaun A. Suhoski said this ranking highlights a quality he already knew Athol has.
“For all the headlines you see about the opioid crisis, which is everywhere, Athol is still a really a nice town. It’s a full-service community. It is safe. It’s coming back in a big way,” he said. “It is a great place to live.”
Mark Wright, the executive director of the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce, said SmartAsset first examines the financial components of municipalities.
“Initially, my first reaction was, ‘Is this another one of those click-bait sites?’” he said, referring to online content used to attract web traffic through sensational language. “But when I noticed that it was SmartAsset, which I subscribe to, then I realized there was probably something there.”
Wright said the cost of living in Athol is much lower than in other parts of Massachusetts and the town has a beautiful landscape with a good amount of recreation suitable for an aging population.
“We do have a substantial number of fairly cool things going on in the area for the elderly,” he said, adding that the town also has a great deal of available housing stock.
Swampscott edged out Athol, coming in ninth place in the study. Walpole ranked first. There are 351 towns and cities in Massachusetts.
You can reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 258
On Twitter: @DomenicPoli