Compare towns
Athol vs Thompson 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
Thompson has the highest household income ($94k).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
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 | Thompson | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
9,337 |
6,369Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware 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% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson 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% |
21.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Highest 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±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$291,900±$24kHighest 12% below U.S. |
$253,400±$31kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Thompson 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. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,039±$104 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. |
$3,822Highest 23% above U.S. |
$3,408 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±17.3Highest 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% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Thompson 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 | #130 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Thompson School District | — |
| High school in town | Athol High | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
7.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.