Compare towns
Dudley vs Ware vs Webster vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dudley has the highest household income ($85k).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
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 | Ware | Webster | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,929 |
10,048Lowest |
12,228Highest |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 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+ | 24.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| 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 30% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Dudley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691 38% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$3,403 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 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 | 6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
16% MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 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 | #142 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #271 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 Our Story | 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.