Compare towns
Athol vs Ware vs Wrentham vs Dudley
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).
Wrentham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
Dudley has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
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 | Wrentham | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
10,048Lowest |
12,297Highest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
46.8±3.2Highest 17% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Wrentham 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.8%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Dudley 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% |
21.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wrentham 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% |
55.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$151,676±$17kHighest 46% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$654,900±$26kHighest 17% above MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,184±$628 33% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
| Dudley and Wrentham 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 |
$7,373Highest 23% above MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
40.6%±15.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 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% |
6.9% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
21.9%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #49 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Ware | King Philip · Wrentham | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | King Philip Regional High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
13.5 |
14.3Highest |
| 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.