Compare towns
Athol vs Paxton vs Ware
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 kids (21.8% under 18).
Paxton has the most people working from home (25.5%).
Ware has the oldest population (median age 43.1).
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 | Paxton | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
5,002Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
41.8±3.3 4% above MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
| Ware and Paxton 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% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 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% |
18.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Athol 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% |
54.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$134,083±$8kHighest 29% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$472,300±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,386±$88Highest 21% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| Paxton 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 |
$7,129Highest 19% above MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest 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% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Wachusett | Ware |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | 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 |
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.