Compare towns
Ware vs Mendon vs Athol vs Warren
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 renters (42.6% rent).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Warren has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
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 | Mendon | Athol | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
6,325 |
12,011Highest |
5,009Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6 about the MA average |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
| Mendon 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% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Athol and Ware 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% |
46.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
23.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon 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 |
$132,256±$33kHighest 27% above MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$66,082±$6k 36% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$333,700±$35k 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408 43% below MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,530 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.1% MA: 10% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
64.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Mendon 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #165 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Mendon-Upton | Athol-Royalston | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Athol High | Quaboag Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.