Compare towns
Phillipston 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
Phillipston has the highest household income ($95k).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
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 | Phillipston | Ware | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,895Lowest |
10,048 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±1.7Highest 22% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% 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 | 17%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest 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+ | 25.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,692±$14kHighest 9% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $372,400±$27kHighest 34% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$849Highest 22% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Phillipston and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,914 35% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Lowest 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 | 5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 9.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ware | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.