Compare towns
Athol vs Peru 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
Peru has the most homeowners (98.2%).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
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 | Peru | Ware | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
630Lowest |
6,369 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
52.6±4.8Highest 32% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Athol 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% |
29.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4% MA: 47.3% |
28%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$90,750±$18kHighest 13% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Peru and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$267,400±$15k 52% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
— | $1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
| Dudley 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 |
$3,805Highest 36% below MA |
$3,408 43% below MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.1% MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Athol 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 | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | — | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Athol High | — | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | — | 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.