Compare towns
Athol vs Leyden vs Warren vs Ware
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).
Leyden has the highest household income ($106k).
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 | Athol | Leyden | Warren | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,801 |
637Lowest |
5,009 |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
53.2±8.2Highest 33% above MA |
38.7±7.3 3% below MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Leyden 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% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±8 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
28.6%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.2% MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,394±$8k 35% below MA |
$105,893±$13kHighest about the MA average |
$66,082±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $248,700±$15kLowest 56% below MA |
$372,900±$24kHighest 34% below MA |
$333,700±$35k 41% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Leyden and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,120±$173 36% below MA |
$1,917±$451Highest 9% above MA |
$890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
$4,651Highest 22% below MA |
$4,530 24% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±17.9 MA: 51.8% |
42.9%±100 MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest 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% |
10.8% MA: 10% |
9%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
64.5% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% below MA |
33 min 12% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
11%±5 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Leyden 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 | — | #165 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Quaboag Regional | Ware |
| High school in town | — | — | Quaboag Regional High | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| 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.