Compare towns
Athol vs Ware vs Warwick vs Phillipston
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 renters (27.7% rent).
Warwick has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Phillipston has the most homeowners (92.4%).
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 | Warwick | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
10,048 |
83,175Highest |
1,895Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
44.3±1 14% above U.S. |
48.8±1.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±1.1 U.S.: 22% |
17%±5Lowest 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%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±1.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Warwick 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Warwick 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±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$88,708±$6k 10% above U.S. |
$94,692±$14kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Phillipston and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$354,600±$5k 7% above U.S. |
$372,400±$27kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Phillipston and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,363±$76 4% below U.S. |
$1,375±$849Highest about the U.S. average |
| Phillipston and Warwick 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. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,616Highest 48% above U.S. |
$3,914 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Phillipston 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Warwick 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 | #28 of 38 in RI | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Ware | Warwick | — |
| High school in town | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Pilgrim High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.1 |
10.5Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.