Compare towns
Athol vs Fall River vs Lawrence vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Fall River has the oldest housing (typical home built 1945).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
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 | Fall River | Lawrence | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
94,082Highest |
88,736 |
10,048Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence 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 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
24%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence 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 33% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| 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±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$415,200±$23kHighest 26% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Lawrence and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$3,422 43% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lawrence | Ware |
| High school in town | Athol High | B M C Durfee High | Lawrence High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.3 |
13.6Highest |
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.