Compare towns
Athol vs Ware vs Wendell
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 kids (21.8% under 18).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
10,048 |
850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
47.1±8.8Highest 18% above MA |
| Wendell 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%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
16%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wendell 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 MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
51.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wendell 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 33% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$65,288±$14kLowest 37% below MA |
| Athol and Ware 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 |
$290,300±$31kHighest 48% below MA |
| Wendell and Ware 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 |
$1,239±$519Highest 30% below MA |
| Wendell 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 |
$4,519Highest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.6%±40.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
21.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
16.8%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wendell 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 | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Ware | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.