Compare towns
Ware vs Dunstable vs Petersham vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Petersham has the oldest population (median age 56.3).
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 | Dunstable | Petersham | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
3,408 |
1,185Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
41.5±2.4 4% above MA |
56.3±2.7Highest 41% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable 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 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.5%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable 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 35% below MA |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$110,750±$20k 7% above MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$392,400±$20k 30% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$1,679±$441Highest 5% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Petersham and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$4,636 23% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.8% MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
94.2% MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
34 min 18% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Dunstable and Petersham 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 | #4 of 282 in MA | — | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Groton-Dunstable | Petersham | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | 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 | None yet |
MA 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.