Compare towns
Ware vs Webster vs Orange 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).
Webster has the highest household income ($107k).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k 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 | Webster | Orange | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
2,227Lowest |
7,573 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.7±7.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Webster and Orange 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% |
22.6%±8 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Webster 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% |
19.4%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Webster 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% |
30.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest 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. |
$107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$55,824±$10k 31% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31k 24% below U.S. |
$338,500±$30kHighest about the U.S. average |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 26% below U.S. |
$1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Webster 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. |
$6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest 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% |
9.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1966 14 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 |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Webster 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 | — | #275 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Merrimack Valley School District | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0Lowest |
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.