Compare towns
Ware vs Mendon vs Athol vs West Brookfield
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%).
West Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.5).
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 | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
6,325 |
12,011Highest |
3,859Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
58.5±3.2Highest 46% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
13%±3.8Lowest 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%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
35.9%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
34% 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% |
1.2%±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 |
$95,613±$12k 8% below MA |
| Mendon and West Brookfield 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 |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$354,000±$21k 37% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,236±$271 30% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408 43% below MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,260 29% 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% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest 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% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
80.8% 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 |
1967 3 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 |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±15Highest MA: 18.6% |
| West Brookfield and Ware 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 | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Mendon-Upton | Athol-Royalston | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Athol High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6 |
— |
| 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.