Compare towns
Ware vs Glocester 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 renters (27.7% rent).
Glocester has the highest household income ($114k).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Glocester | Athol | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
10,221 |
12,011Highest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
50.8±4.3Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Glocester 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% |
19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Dudley 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% |
22.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Glocester 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.7%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% |
4.3%±1.9 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. |
$113,508±$7kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$396,500±$28kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19k 18% above U.S. |
| Glocester and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,417±$627Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Glocester and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$5,248Highest 68% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Glocester and Ware 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91%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. |
1975Highest 5 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 min 8% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Glocester and Ware 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 | #12 of 38 in RI | #256 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Foster-Glocester · Glocester | Athol-Royalston | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Ponaganset High School | Athol High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.8 |
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.