Compare towns
Adams vs Athol vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Adams has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Adams | Athol | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,074Lowest |
12,011Highest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.3±3.3Highest 18% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Adams and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Adams and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Adams and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,929±$6kLowest 43% below MA |
$69,316±$5kHighest 33% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,900±$15kLowest 63% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$289,700±$28kHighest 48% below MA |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$74Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,150±$182Highest 35% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,638 39% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 19% below MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 8.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #230 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hoosac Valley Regional | Athol-Royalston | Ware |
| High school in town | None in town | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.