Compare towns
Ware vs Pelham 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).
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
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 | Pelham | Athol | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
1,335Lowest |
12,011Highest |
5,009 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6 about the MA average |
45±8.4Highest 13% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
| Pelham 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% |
21%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±8Lowest 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%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham 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% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
23.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Athol 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 |
$113,750±$24kHighest 9% above MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$66,082±$6k 36% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$447,600±$33kHighest 20% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$333,700±$35k 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$1,205±$560Highest 32% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
| Pelham and Athol 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 |
$7,472Highest 25% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,530 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest 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% |
10.3% MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
64.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | — | #256 of 282 in MA | #165 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Pelham | 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.