Compare towns
Athol vs Bow vs Ware vs Ludlow
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).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Bow | Ware | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
8,335Lowest |
10,048 |
20,904Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
44.3±1.8Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Ludlow and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Athol 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% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ludlow 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
27% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Ludlow 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. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$84,838±$7k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$335,300±$10k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,223±$82 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,918 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.5% 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. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #267 of 282 in MA | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Bow School District | Ware | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Athol High | Bow High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
12.8Highest |
11.1Lowest |
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.