Compare towns
Ware vs Franklin vs Athol vs Dudley
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%).
Franklin has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Dudley has the most expensive homes ($393k 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 | Franklin | Athol | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
2,004Lowest |
12,011Highest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
40.3±4.3 4% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% 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% |
27.2%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Franklin 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% |
17.4%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$105,000±$10kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Franklin and Dudley 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. |
$326,200±$20k about the U.S. average |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$767±$529Lowest 46% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182Highest 14% below U.S. |
| Dudley 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. |
$3,934 26% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.5%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 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 | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Franklin School District | Athol-Royalston | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Athol High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.6 |
14.3Highest |
| 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.