Compare towns
Athol vs Ware vs Whitingham vs Winchendon
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 people working from home (12.3%).
Whitingham has the most homeowners (85.2%).
Winchendon has the most expensive homes ($324k median).
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 | Whitingham | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
10,048 |
1,368Lowest |
10,440 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
46.4±7.1Highest 19% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Whitingham 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% 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% |
2.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Winchendon 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. |
$70,625±$11k 13% below U.S. |
$75,690±$14kHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$262,300±$30kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Winchendon 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 19% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$673±$150Lowest 52% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Athol 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. |
$5,055Highest 62% above U.S. |
$3,780 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.7%±47.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Winchendon 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 | — | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Ware | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Twin Valley Middle High School | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.1 |
7.8Lowest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.