Compare towns
Athol vs Sharon vs Ware vs Dudley
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).
Sharon has the highest household income ($113k).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Dudley has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
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 | Sharon | Ware | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
442Lowest |
10,048 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
49.4±11.2Highest 27% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±8.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$113,125±$19kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Sharon 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±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$475,900±$38kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19k 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,458±$1kHighest 3% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Sharon and Dudley 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. |
$8,274Highest 165% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.6%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 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% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Sharon 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 | — | Ware | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Athol High | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | 11.1Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| 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.