Compare towns
Athol vs Barnstead vs Ware vs Phillipston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Barnstead has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Phillipston has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
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 | Barnstead | Ware | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
4,994 |
10,048 |
1,895Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.8±3.1 10% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
48.8±1.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Phillipston 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 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
17%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barnstead 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 14% below U.S. |
$111,660±$12kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$94,692±$14k 17% above U.S. |
| Barnstead and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$362,400±$25k 9% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$372,400±$27kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Phillipston and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,395±$75Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,375±$849 about the U.S. average |
| Barnstead and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$6,003Highest 92% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,914 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.6%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Phillipston and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barnstead 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 | #111 of 120 in NH | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Barnstead School District | Ware | — |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.