Compare towns
Athol vs Fairhaven vs Ware vs Phillipston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
Fairhaven has the most expensive homes ($447k median).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Phillipston has the most homeowners (92.4%).
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 | Fairhaven | Ware | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
15,903Highest |
10,048 |
1,895Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
48.8±1.7Highest 22% above MA |
| Phillipston and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
17%±5 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Fairhaven 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 MA: 47.3% |
32.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
25.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Phillipston 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 33% below MA |
$95,965±$19kHighest 8% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$94,692±$14k 9% below MA |
| Fairhaven 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 52% below MA |
$446,700±$19kHighest 21% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$372,400±$27k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,118±$79 37% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,375±$849Highest 22% below MA |
| Phillipston and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,566 40% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$3,914 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
28 min about the MA average |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Fairhaven 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 | #126 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Fairhaven | Ware | — |
| High school in town | Athol High | Fairhaven High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.4 |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.