Compare towns
Athol vs Pepperell vs Ware vs Dudley
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).
Pepperell has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Ware has the oldest population (median age 43.1).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Pepperell | Ware | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
11,663 |
10,048Lowest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
42.4±3.3 6% above MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Ware and Pepperell 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% |
20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Dudley 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% |
18.2%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest 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% |
43.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$124,073±$12kHighest 19% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$482,100±$14kHighest 14% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,295±$238Highest 27% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Pepperell and Dudley 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 |
$6,698Highest 12% above MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 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% |
8% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Pepperell 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 | #153 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | North Middlesex | Ware | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | 11.1Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| 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.