Compare towns
Athol vs Salisbury vs Ware vs Phillipston
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 kids (21.8% under 18).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (28%).
Phillipston has the most homeowners (92.4%).
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 | Salisbury | Ware | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
4,224 |
10,048 |
1,895Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.2±9.9 14% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
48.8±1.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Phillipston and Salisbury 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% |
19.2%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
17%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Salisbury 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% |
28.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury 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% |
58.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Phillipston 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. |
$124,256±$26kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$94,692±$14k 17% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Phillipston 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. |
$763,700±$121kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$372,400±$27k 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,846±$736Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,375±$849 about the U.S. average |
| Salisbury and Phillipston 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. |
$5,125Highest 64% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,914 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.2%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Phillipston 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% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #19 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Salisbury School District | Ware | — |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | 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 | 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.