Compare towns
Athol vs Ware vs Winchester
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 oldest population (median age 43.1).
Winchester has the most expensive homes ($1215k 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 | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011 |
10,048Lowest |
23,406Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
42.5±1.9 6% above MA |
| Ware and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.6%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18%±2Lowest 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% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Winchester 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 |
$230,198±$21kHighest 121% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$1,215,200±$39kHighest 116% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$2,279±$481Highest 29% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
39.3%±13.3Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
33.8%±3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #11 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Ware | Winchester |
| High school in town | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Winchester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.