Compare towns
Ware vs Windsor 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 people working from home (16.6%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k 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 | Windsor | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,369 |
3,554Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.8±6.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Windsor 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% |
19.5%±5.2Lowest 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% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest 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. |
$52,484±$11k 35% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5kHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31k 24% below U.S. |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13kHighest 19% below U.S. |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 26% below U.S. |
$1,026±$89Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182Highest 19% below U.S. |
| 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 9% above U.S. |
$5,209Highest 67% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17Lowest 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% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Highest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | — | — | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.