Compare towns
Ware vs Coventry 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%).
Coventry has the most affordable homes ($198k median).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
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 | Coventry | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
917Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
45.2±5.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Coventry 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% |
20.2%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Coventry 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% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Coventry and Ware 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% |
21.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Coventry 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. |
$59,342±$3kLowest 26% 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±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$197,900±$55kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$755±$108Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182Highest 19% below U.S. |
| Athol and Ware 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. |
$2,375Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$3,403 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
1.5%±27.7Lowest 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% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±3.7Lowest 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 | — | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Coventry School District | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| 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.