Compare towns
Athol vs Gardner vs Ware vs Dudley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Dudley has the most expensive homes ($393k median).
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 | Athol | Gardner | Ware | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,801Lowest |
21,148Highest |
10,048 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Gardner and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,394±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
| Dudley and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $248,700±$15kLowest 56% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,120±$173 36% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
| Dudley and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±17.9 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 21%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.7% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner 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 | #256 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Gardner | Ware | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
11.1Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.