Compare towns
Athol vs Needham vs Ware vs Ludlow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Needham | Ware | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
32,459Highest |
10,048Lowest |
20,904 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
44.3±1.8Highest 11% above MA |
| Ludlow and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ludlow 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 MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
27% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Ludlow 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$84,838±$7k 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$335,300±$10k 40% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,223±$82 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,918 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
6.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Needham | Ware | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Athol High | Needham High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.9Highest |
11.1Lowest |
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.