Compare towns
Amesbury 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
Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k median).
Athol has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Amesbury | Athol | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,403Highest |
12,011 |
10,048Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Highest 9% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Amesbury and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12kHighest about the MA average |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32kHighest 8% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Amesbury and Ware 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 | #151 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Athol-Royalston | Ware |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.6Highest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.