Compare towns
Athol vs Upton vs Georgetown 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).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Georgetown has the most expensive homes ($651k median).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
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 | Upton | Georgetown | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
8,189Lowest |
8,474 |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.8±3.5 7% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Upton 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 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.5%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Georgetown and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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 MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
56.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Georgetown 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$151,595±$23k 46% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Upton and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$651,200±$23kHighest 16% above MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,223±$506Highest 26% above MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,272 21% above MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.7%±22.5 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Georgetown 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #140 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Georgetown | Ware |
| High school in town | Athol High | Blackstone Valley | Georgetown High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.2 |
9.3Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.