Compare towns
Athol vs Guildhall vs Dudley 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).
Guildhall has the highest household income ($115k).
Dudley has the most expensive homes ($393k median).
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 | Guildhall | Dudley | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
371Lowest |
11,929 |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
42.6±7.8 10% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Ware and Guildhall 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% |
22.6%±7.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Guildhall 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Guildhall 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% |
33.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$115,000±$46kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Guildhall and Dudley 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. |
$321,200±$62k 3% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
| Dudley and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$850±$717Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Dudley 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. |
$4,625Highest 48% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Guildhall 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% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 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 |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #142 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Ware |
| High school in town | Athol High | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | 14.3Highest |
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.