Compare towns
Athol vs Auburn 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 ($268k median).
Auburn has the highest household income ($117k).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% 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 | Auburn | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011 |
16,970Highest |
10,048Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Auburn and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Auburn and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$116,711±$10kHighest 12% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$400,000±$16kHighest 29% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,467±$155Highest 17% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| Auburn and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,289Highest 12% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±10.5Lowest 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 | 16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
79.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
26 minLowest 12% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Auburn 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 | #106 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Auburn | Ware |
| High school in town | Athol High | Auburn Senior High | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
12.1Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.