Compare towns
Athol vs Upton vs Webster 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 affordable homes ($249k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
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 | Upton | Webster | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,801 |
8,189Lowest |
17,748Highest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Ware 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Ware 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $248,700±$15kLowest 56% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,120±$173 36% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Webster 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±17.9 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Webster | Ware |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Bartlett High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
11.6Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.