Compare towns
Ware vs West Brookfield vs Windham 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).
West Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.5).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | West Brookfield | Windham | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
3,859 |
594Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
58.5±3.2Highest 50% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 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% |
35.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Brookfield and Windham 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% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±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. |
$95,613±$12kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| West Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$354,000±$21kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
| West Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,236±$271Highest 13% below U.S. |
— | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| West Brookfield 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. |
$4,260 37% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 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% |
8.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 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 |
42 minHighest 58% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±15 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | #162 of 282 in MA | — | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Quaboag Regional | — | 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 | 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.