Compare towns
Ware vs Sutton vs West Brookfield 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 renters (42.6% rent).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Sutton | West Brookfield | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
9,452 |
3,859Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
58.5±3.2Highest 46% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
13%±3.8Lowest 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% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
35.9%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Sutton 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 |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$95,613±$12k 8% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$354,000±$21k 37% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,236±$271Highest 30% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| West Brookfield and Sutton 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 |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$4,260 29% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 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% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±15 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and West Brookfield 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #162 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Sutton | Quaboag Regional | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | — | Sutton High School | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
— | 11.6Lowest |
| 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.