Compare towns
Athol vs Townsend vs Dudley vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Townsend | Dudley | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
9,100Lowest |
11,929 |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
| 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%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Townsend and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| Townsend and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$3,691 38% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | North Middlesex | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Ware |
| High school in town | Athol High | North Middlesex Regional | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
13.1 |
14.3Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.