Compare towns
Ware vs Temple 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).
Temple has the most expensive homes ($401k median).
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 | Temple | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,369 |
1,363Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Temple 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 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.5Lowest 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%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Athol and Temple 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% |
36.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 44% below U.S. |
$94,107±$15kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$401,000±$27kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,169±$523Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Temple 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. |
$6,983Highest 124% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.2%±54.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Temple 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 | — | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Contoocook Valley School District | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.