Compare towns
Ware vs Woonsocket vs Athol vs Palmer Town
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%).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Athol has the most homeowners (72.4%).
Palmer Town has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Woonsocket | Athol | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369Lowest |
43,521Highest |
12,011 |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Palmer Town 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% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Palmer Town and Athol 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% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket 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 44% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$78,480±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Palmer Town and Athol 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. |
$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$271,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103 24% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket 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. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,540Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 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% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #256 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Athol-Royalston | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | Woonsocket High School | Athol High | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
11.6 |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.