Compare towns
Athol vs Hampton vs Ware vs Palmer Town
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 has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Palmer Town has the most renters (28.5% rent).
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 | Ware | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
1,647Lowest |
10,048 |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
51.5±5.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6 23% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Hampton 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% |
26.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton and Palmer Town 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% |
29.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5 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. |
$109,167±$19kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$295,800±$27kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$271,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Ware 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. |
$1,285±$288Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103 24% below U.S. |
| Hampton 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. |
$4,364 40% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,540Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±51.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton 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 | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Hampton School District | Ware | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.1 |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.