Compare towns
Athol vs Ware vs Whitman
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 people working from home (12.3%).
Whitman has the most expensive homes ($473k 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 | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011 |
10,048Lowest |
15,295Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
40.4±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Ware and Athol 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% |
21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Whitman 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%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Athol 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% |
31.3%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%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Whitman 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 33% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$108,933±$14kHighest 5% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$472,700±$12kHighest 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Whitman 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% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Whitman 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 | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Ware | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.1Lowest |
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| 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.