Compare towns
Ware vs Brookline vs Dudley 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).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Brookline | Dudley | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
531Lowest |
11,929 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Ware 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% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Brookline 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% |
41.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Dudley and Brookline 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. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$5,000Highest 60% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest 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 | 11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | — | #142 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
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.