Compare towns
Ware vs Windsor vs Athol vs North Brookfield
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).
Windsor has the highest household income ($116k).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
North Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 45.2).
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 | Windsor | Athol | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
1,065Lowest |
12,011Highest |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% MA: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
45.2±9.4Highest 13% above MA |
| North Brookfield and Windsor 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% |
15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.2 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% |
18.6%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
| Athol and North Brookfield 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% |
41.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
26.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| North Brookfield 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 |
$115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$79,285±$11k 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$389,700±$32kHighest 31% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$359,100±$32k 36% below MA |
| Windsor and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 41% below MA |
— | $1,150±$182Highest 35% below MA |
$981±$63Lowest 44% below MA |
| Athol and Ware 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 |
$3,867 35% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,176Highest 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±15.8 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% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
12.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
69.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
37 min 27% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Windsor 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 | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Athol-Royalston | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | — | — | Athol High | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6Highest |
5.5Lowest |
| 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.