Compare towns
Athol vs Ware vs Whitingham
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%).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Whitingham has the most homeowners (85.2%).
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 | Ware | Whitingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
6,369 |
1,368Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.4±7.1Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Whitingham and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Athol 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. |
$45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$70,625±$11kHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Whitingham 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±$13kHighest 19% below U.S. |
$253,400±$31kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$262,300±$30k 21% below U.S. |
| Athol and Whitingham 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. |
$1,039±$104 26% below U.S. |
$673±$150Lowest 52% 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. |
$3,408 9% above U.S. |
$5,055Highest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.7%±47.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Whitingham 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% |
14.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | — | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 |
| High school in town | Athol High | — | Twin Valley Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 7.8Lowest |
| 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.