Compare towns
Athol vs Central Falls vs Ware vs Athol
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 highest household income ($69k).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($249k 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 | Central Falls | Ware | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
22,701Highest |
10,048 |
8,801Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3 5% below U.S. |
| Ware and Athol 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% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls 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% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Central Falls 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±$5kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$67,394±$8k 17% below U.S. |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$352,100±$30kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$248,700±$15kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,120±$173 21% below U.S. |
| Central Falls and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403 9% above U.S. |
$3,744 20% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Highest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #38 of 38 in RI | #267 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | Ware | — |
| High school in town | Athol High | Central Falls Sr High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
14.6Highest |
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.