Compare towns
Athol vs Tyringham vs Ware vs Royalston
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).
Tyringham has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Royalston has the most homeowners (96%).
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 | Tyringham | Ware | Royalston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
494Lowest |
10,048 |
1,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +2% MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
59.2±2.7Highest 48% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
47.8±14.6 20% above MA |
| Tyringham and Royalston 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% |
8.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±10 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.2%±8.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Tyringham and Royalston 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
28.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Royalston and Ware 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 33% below MA |
$163,333±$28kHighest 57% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$102,109±$8k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$699,400±$96kHighest 24% above MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$346,300±$18k 38% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,050±$393 40% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,650±$412Highest 6% below MA |
| Royalston and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403 43% below MA |
$4,632Highest 23% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,196Lowest 47% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±100 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
85.7%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Royalston 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 MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
89.9% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
38 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.7%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | — | Ware | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Athol High | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 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.