Compare towns
Athol vs Heath vs Ware vs Phillipston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Phillipston has the most expensive homes ($372k 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 | Heath | Ware | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
765Lowest |
10,048 |
1,895 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
48.8±1.7 22% above MA |
| Heath and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
17%±5 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
25.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Phillipston 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 33% below MA |
$98,750±$23kHighest 5% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$94,692±$14k 9% below MA |
| Heath and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$295,000±$45k 48% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$372,400±$27kHighest 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
— | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,375±$849Highest 22% below MA |
| Phillipston and Athol 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 |
$4,438Highest 26% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,914 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Phillipston 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 MA: 10% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
88.3% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Heath 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 | — | 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 | 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.