Compare towns
Ware vs Central Falls 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 (12.3%).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Central Falls | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
22,701Highest |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Ware and Athol 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% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Central Falls 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±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5kHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Athol and Ware 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. |
$352,100±$30kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Central Falls and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,744 20% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Highest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest 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 | #38 of 38 in RI | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Central Falls Sr High | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
14.6Highest |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.