Compare towns
Ware vs Woonsocket 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 people working from home (16.6%).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Athol has the highest household income ($69k).
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 | Orange | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369Lowest |
43,521Highest |
7,573 |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
41.8±2.2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Orange 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% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange 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% |
15.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%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% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 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. |
$55,824±$10k 31% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5kHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Athol and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31k 24% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 26% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% 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. |
$4,136Highest 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% |
46.7%±5.4 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Highest 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 |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #275 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | — | Woonsocket High School | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
9.0Lowest |
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.