Compare towns
Athol vs Pittsfield vs Ware
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%).
Pittsfield has the highest household income ($74k).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
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 | Pittsfield | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
4,105Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±5.1 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Ware and Pittsfield 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% |
20.8%±6 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pittsfield 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. |
$74,318±$14kHighest 8% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Pittsfield and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$294,800±$30kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
| Pittsfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,239±$182Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Pittsfield and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$5,694Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.5%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pittsfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Pittsfield 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 | #93 of 120 in NH | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Pittsfield School District | Ware |
| High school in town | Athol High | Pittsfield High School | 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 |
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.