Compare towns
Athol vs Hampton Beach 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 kids (21.8% under 18).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Hampton Beach | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
2,605Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Athol 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. |
$82,557±$17kHighest about the U.S. average |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Athol 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. |
$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,375±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Hampton Beach 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. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Hampton Beach 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% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 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 4% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | — | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | — | Ware |
| High school in town | Athol High | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.