Compare towns
Athol vs Dorset vs Ware
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).
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
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 | Dorset | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
2,092Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.9±7.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Dorset 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% |
24%±5.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dorset and Athol 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% |
21.9%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dorset 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% |
72.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Athol 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. |
$111,250±$40kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Dorset and Athol 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. |
$569,200±$57kHighest 71% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,420±$296Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Dorset and Athol 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. |
$7,489Highest 140% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset 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% |
11.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 18% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | — | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | 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 |
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.