Compare towns
Ware vs Milton vs Ware vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most renters (42.6% rent).
Milton has the highest household income ($94k).
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 | Milton | Ware | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
4,538Lowest |
10,048 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.7±2.4Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Milton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware 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 44% below U.S. |
$94,493±$27kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Milton 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 24% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
| Milton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,587±$318Highest 12% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Milton and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408 9% above U.S. |
$5,663Highest 82% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±24.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Milton 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 | #116 of 120 in NH | #267 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Milton School District | Ware | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | — | Nute High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6Lowest |
11.1 |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.