Compare towns
Athol vs Warwick 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
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 | Warwick | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,801 |
776Lowest |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
0%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
51.4±7.3Highest 29% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Warwick 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% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest 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% |
23.2%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Warwick 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% |
40.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest 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±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$93,333±$22kHighest 10% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Warwick 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 |
$349,400±$34kHighest 38% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Warwick and Ware 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 |
$1,367±$163Highest 22% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| Warwick 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 |
$4,380Highest 27% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±17.9 MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest 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% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% below MA |
40 minHighest 37% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Warwick 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Warwick | Ware |
| High school in town | — | None 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.