Compare towns
Athol vs Ware vs Westminster vs Phillipston
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%).
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 | Westminster | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
10,048 |
8,374 |
1,895Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
48.3±4.6 21% above MA |
48.8±1.7Highest 22% above MA |
| Phillipston and Westminster 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% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
17%±5Lowest 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%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±1.3Lowest 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% |
25.4% 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% |
4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Phillipston 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 |
$94,692±$14k 9% below MA |
| Westminster and Phillipston 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 |
$422,000±$36kHighest 25% below MA |
$372,400±$27k 34% below MA |
| Westminster and Phillipston 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 |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
$1,375±$849 22% below MA |
| Westminster and Phillipston 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 |
$4,973Highest 17% below MA |
$3,914 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
92.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
27 min 7% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest 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 | 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.