Compare towns
Athol vs Putnam vs Ware vs Winchendon
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 the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Winchendon has the most expensive homes ($324k median).
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 | Putnam | Ware | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
9,292Lowest |
10,048 |
10,440 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Putnam and Ware 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% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Winchendon 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. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$75,690±$14kHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Putnam 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. |
$269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Winchendon 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. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Winchendon 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. |
$3,860 24% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,780 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Winchendon 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Putnam School District | Ware | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Athol High | Putnam High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
9.5Lowest |
11.1 |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.