Compare towns
Ware vs Ludlow 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).
Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
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 | Ludlow | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
20,904Highest |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
44.3±1.8Highest 11% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
| Ludlow and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Ware 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% |
21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ludlow 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% |
27%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ludlow 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 |
$84,838±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$335,300±$10kHighest 40% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,223±$82Highest 31% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Ludlow and Athol 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 |
$4,918Highest 18% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
6.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest about the MA average |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ludlow 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 | #154 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Ludlow | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Ludlow Senior High | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.1Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.