Compare towns
Athol vs Ware vs Westminster
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).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
10,048 |
8,374Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
| Westminster 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% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Westminster 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% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster 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% |
45.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest 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 |
$106,331±$22kHighest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$422,000±$36kHighest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,973Highest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Westminster 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% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
27 min 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Westminster 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 | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Ware | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| 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.