Compare towns
Ware vs Everett vs Hardwick 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 people working from home (12.3%).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Hardwick has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
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 | Everett | Hardwick | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
50,045Highest |
2,684Lowest |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
45.3±9.8Highest 13% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Hardwick 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 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick 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% MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
30.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Hardwick 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 |
$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
$75,000±$22k 28% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Everett and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
11%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #264 of 282 in MA | #163 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Everett | Quabbin | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Everett High | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— | 11.6 |
| 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.