Compare towns
Athol vs Webster vs Ware vs Phillipston
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).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Phillipston has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Webster | Ware | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
12,228Highest |
10,048 |
1,895Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
48.8±1.7Highest 22% above MA |
| Phillipston 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% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
17%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±1.3 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% MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
25.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster 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 |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$94,692±$14kHighest 9% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$372,400±$27kHighest 34% below MA |
| Phillipston and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,375±$849Highest 22% below MA |
| Phillipston and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403 43% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$3,914 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Phillipston and Ware 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% |
16% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
92.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Athol 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | — | Ware | — |
| High school in town | Athol High | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.