Compare towns
Ware vs Townsend 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 people working from home (16.6%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Townsend | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,369Lowest |
9,100 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
41.3±1.9Highest 3% above MA |
| Athol and Townsend 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%±3.2Lowest 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%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Athol and Ware 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% |
35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend 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 |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Townsend 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 |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest 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% |
8.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Athol 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
11.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.