Compare towns
Ware vs Hardwick 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%).
Hardwick has the most expensive homes ($347k median).
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 | Ware | Hardwick | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,369 |
2,684Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±9.8Highest 13% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Hardwick 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% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest 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% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick 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% |
30.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick 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 |
$75,000±$22kHighest 28% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Hardwick and Athol 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 |
$346,700±$67kHighest 38% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
| Hardwick and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,150±$182Highest 35% below MA |
| Athol and Hardwick 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 |
$4,400Highest 27% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.1% MA: 10% |
11%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest 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 | #163 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Quabbin | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.