Compare towns
Athol vs Phillipston 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).
Phillipston has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Phillipston | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,801 |
1,895Lowest |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
48.8±1.7Highest 22% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Phillipston 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% |
17%±5Lowest 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+ | 15%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Phillipston 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% |
25.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,394±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$94,692±$14kHighest 9% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Phillipston and Ware 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 |
$372,400±$27kHighest 34% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,120±$173 36% below MA |
$1,375±$849Highest 22% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| Phillipston 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 |
$3,914 35% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±17.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Phillipston and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21%Highest MA: 10% |
5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest 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 | #256 of 282 in MA | — | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Ware |
| High school in town | — | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 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.