Compare towns
Athol vs Upton vs Ware vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Ware has the most renters (42.6% 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 | Ware | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
8,189 |
6,369Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
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% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware 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% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest 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%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182Highest 35% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| 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 43% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,408 43% below 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% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.1% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Ware |
| High school in town | Athol High | Blackstone Valley | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.2 |
— | 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.