Compare towns
Athol vs Ryegate 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%).
Ryegate has the most affordable homes ($219k median).
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 | Ryegate | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
1,059Lowest |
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±1.9 6% above U.S. |
41.2±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ryegate and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ryegate and Ware 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% |
29.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$219,300±$32kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182Highest 19% below U.S. |
$908±$236Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Athol and Ware 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. |
$3,472 11% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±29.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
14.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1949Lowest 31 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Highest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | — | Ware |
| High school in town | Athol High | — | 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.