Compare towns
Athol vs Ware vs Webster vs Dudley
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 affordable homes ($268k median).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Webster has the most people working from home (17.1%).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Webster | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
10,048 |
2,227Lowest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Webster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Webster 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% |
30.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Webster 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 19% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$338,500±$30k about the U.S. average |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Webster and Dudley 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. |
$6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Webster 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 |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Ware | Merrimack Valley School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| 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.