Compare towns
Athol vs Ware vs Blackstone
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
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 | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
10,048 |
9,255Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
43.2±1.7Highest 8% above MA |
| Blackstone 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Athol 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% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
31.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 33% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$94,191±$21kHighest 9% below MA |
| Blackstone 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±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$404,400±$34kHighest 28% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,189±$85Highest 33% below MA |
| Blackstone and Athol 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 |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$5,703Highest 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
65%±18.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Blackstone 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% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Blackstone 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 | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Ware | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.