Compare towns
Athol vs Ware vs Woonsocket 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 the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Winchendon has the highest household income ($76k).
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 | Woonsocket | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
10,048Lowest |
43,521Highest |
10,440 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.6±1.9 about the U.S. 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%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Winchendon 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±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$75,690±$14kHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Winchendon and Woonsocket 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±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Woonsocket 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. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,780 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Winchendon 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% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 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. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Ware | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Woonsocket High School | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
15.2Highest |
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.