Compare towns
Ware vs Athol vs Dudley vs Orange
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 people working from home (12.3%).
Athol has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
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 | Athol | Dudley | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
12,011Highest |
11,929 |
7,573Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
| Ware and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
| Dudley and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
| Dudley and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest 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 | 11.8% MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #256 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Athol-Royalston | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Athol High | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
11.6 |
14.3Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.