Compare towns
Athol vs Jericho vs Ware vs Winchendon
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%).
Jericho has the most people working from home (21.8%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Winchendon has the youngest population (median age 39.6).
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 | Jericho | Ware | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
5,114Lowest |
10,048 |
10,440 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
49.7±5.1Highest 28% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Jericho and Ware 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% |
19.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Jericho 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% |
65.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Winchendon and Ware 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. |
$116,923±$16kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$75,690±$14k 6% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$493,100±$38kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,731±$111Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163 11% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$7,318Highest 135% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,780 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
79.3%±52.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Jericho and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jericho 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 | #6 of 70 in VT | #267 of 282 in MA | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Ware | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Athol High | Mt. Mansfield Union High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
13.0Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.