Compare towns
Athol vs Ware vs Phillipston vs Orange
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).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Phillipston has the highest household income ($95k).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k 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 | Ware | Phillipston | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,801 |
10,048Highest |
1,895Lowest |
7,573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
48.8±1.7Highest 22% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
17%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Orange 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9% MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
25.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest 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±$8k 35% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$94,692±$14kHighest 9% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% 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±$15k 56% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$372,400±$27kHighest 34% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,120±$173 36% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,375±$849Highest 22% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% 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 |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$3,914 35% below MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±17.9 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
92.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.7 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest 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 | — | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ware | — | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
— | 9.0Lowest |
| 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.