Compare towns
Athol vs Walden 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
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Ware has the most expensive homes ($290k median).
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 | Walden | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
1,037Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Highest 25% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Walden and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Walden 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Walden 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. |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Walden and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Ware 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. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 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. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest 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% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Ware |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| 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.