Compare towns
Athol vs Ware vs Dudley 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 the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Dudley | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
10,048 |
11,929 |
9,255Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
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% |
20.6%±3.3 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% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 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% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
31.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$94,191±$21kHighest 9% below MA |
| Blackstone and Dudley 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 |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$404,400±$34kHighest 28% below MA |
| Blackstone and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
$1,189±$85 33% below MA |
| Dudley and Blackstone 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 |
$3,691 38% below MA |
$5,703Highest 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest 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% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% 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 |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
27 min 6% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest 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 | #142 of 282 in MA | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Ware | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
14.3Highest |
13.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.