Compare towns
Athol vs Worcester vs Ware vs Royalston
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).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Royalston has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Worcester | Ware | Royalston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
207,055Highest |
10,048 |
1,460Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
47.8±14.6Highest 20% above MA |
| Royalston 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% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±10 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Royalston 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% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Royalston 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% |
35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
28.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$102,109±$8kHighest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$374,400±$7kHighest 33% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$346,300±$18k 38% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,650±$412Highest 6% below MA |
| Royalston and Worcester 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 |
$4,733Highest 21% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,196Lowest 47% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
85.7%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Royalston and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
38 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.7%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Worcester 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Ware | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Athol High | South High Community | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
14.6Highest |
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.