Compare towns
Ware vs Hanover vs Athol vs Orange
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 oldest population (median age 43.1).
Hanover has the highest household income ($190k).
Athol has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k 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 | Hanover | Athol | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
14,845Highest |
12,011 |
7,573Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
41.8±1.4 4% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
| Ware and Hanover 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% |
26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanover and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Orange 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% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Hanover 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 35% below MA |
$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$755,400±$39kHighest 34% above MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,845±$341Highest 5% above MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$9,342Highest 56% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanover and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
84.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
32 min 10% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Hanover 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 | #69 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | Athol-Royalston | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | South Shore Vocational Technical High | Athol High | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
10.3 |
11.6Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.