Compare towns
Athol vs Gardner vs Orange 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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k 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 | Gardner | Orange | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
21,148Highest |
7,573Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Gardner 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 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Orange 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 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Orange 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% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner 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 |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Athol and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$301,600±$20kHighest 46% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Gardner and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182Highest 35% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Athol and Gardner 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 |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Gardner | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Ware |
| High school in town | Athol High | Gardner High | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
13.5Highest |
9.0Lowest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.