Compare towns
Ware vs Blackstone vs Brooklyn 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 renters (27.7% rent).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Brooklyn has the most homeowners (81.7%).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k 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 | Blackstone | Brooklyn | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
9,255 |
8,517Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn and Ware 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. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Blackstone 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. |
$404,400±$34kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85Highest 16% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Blackstone and Athol 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. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone 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% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone 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 | #207 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Blackstone-Millville | Brooklyn School District | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Blackstone Millville RHS | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
13.6Highest |
— | 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.