Compare towns
Ware vs Gardner vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Athol has the most homeowners (72.4%).
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 | Ware | Gardner | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,369Lowest |
21,148Highest |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Gardner and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$69,316±$5kHighest 33% below MA |
| Athol and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$301,600±$20kHighest 46% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,150±$182Highest 35% below MA |
| Athol and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408 43% below MA |
$4,150Highest 31% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest 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 | 14.1% MA: 10% |
13.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1954Highest 10 yrs older than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Gardner 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Gardner | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
11.6Lowest |
| 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.