Compare towns
Ware vs Belvidere vs Athol vs Petersham
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 renters (27.7% rent).
Belvidere has the most affordable homes ($239k median).
Athol has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Petersham has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Belvidere | Athol | Petersham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
422Lowest |
12,011Highest |
1,185 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
40.7±6.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
56.3±2.7Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
22%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Belvidere and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
8.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$81,563±$18k about the U.S. average |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$110,750±$20kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Petersham and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$239,200±$51kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$392,400±$20kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,542±$1k 9% above U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,679±$441Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Petersham and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,636Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±53.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Belvidere and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
38 min 42% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Petersham 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 | — |
| School district | Ware | — | Athol-Royalston | Petersham |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | Athol High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
— |
| 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.