Compare towns
Dudley vs Plainfield vs Ware vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
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 | Dudley | Plainfield | Ware | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,929 |
1,314Lowest |
10,048 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Dudley and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Dudley and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691 18% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield 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 | #142 of 282 in MA | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | — | Ware | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.