Compare towns
Athol vs Whately vs Ware vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Athol has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
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 | Whately | Ware | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Highest |
1,499Lowest |
10,048 |
8,801 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
| Whately and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol 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 MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Whately 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% |
47.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
21.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Athol 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 |
$116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$67,394±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$431,500±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$248,700±$15kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182Highest 35% below MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,120±$173 36% below MA |
| Athol and Athol 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 |
$5,027Highest 16% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.2%±17.9 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% MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
21%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
63.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
26 min 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Whately and Ware 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 | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Whately | Ware | — |
| High school in town | Athol High | None in town | 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.