Compare towns
Athol vs Ware vs Woonsocket
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 the most homeowners (72.4%).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
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 | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011 |
6,369Lowest |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
39.8±6 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Athol 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket 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±$5kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
| Athol and Woonsocket 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. |
$253,400±$31kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket and Athol 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. |
$3,960Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Highest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 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 |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest 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 | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | — | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Athol High | — | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | 15.2Highest |
| 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.