Compare towns
Athol vs Glover vs Ware vs Royalston
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%).
Glover has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Royalston has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Glover | Ware | Royalston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
1,051Lowest |
10,048 |
1,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
48.4±5.9Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
47.8±14.6 23% above U.S. |
| Glover and Royalston 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% |
22.3%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±10 U.S.: 22% |
| Glover 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% |
24.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Glover and Royalston 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% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Royalston and Glover 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. |
$73,839±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$102,109±$8kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$264,700±$34kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$346,300±$18kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$973±$130Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,650±$412Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Royalston 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. |
$3,234 4% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,196Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.3%±64.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Royalston 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% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
38 min 45% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Glover 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 | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District | Ware | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 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.