Compare towns
Athol vs Coventry 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
Coventry has the most affordable homes ($198k median).
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 | Coventry | Ware | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
917Lowest |
10,048 |
20,904Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% 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. |
45.2±5.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
44.3±1.8 14% above U.S. |
| Coventry and Ludlow 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% |
20.2%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Coventry and Ludlow 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% |
21.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
27%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ludlow 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. |
$59,342±$3kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$84,838±$7kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$197,900±$55kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$335,300±$10kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$755±$108Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,223±$82Highest 13% below U.S. |
| Ludlow 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. |
$2,375Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,918Highest 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
1.5%±27.7Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%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. |
1993Highest 13 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 |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ludlow 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 | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Coventry School District | Ware | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 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.