Compare towns
Ware vs Madison vs Athol
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%).
Madison has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Madison | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
2,680Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
50.3±9.7Highest 29% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Madison 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% |
23.1%±6.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Madison and Athol 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% |
23.1%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Madison 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% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Athol 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 16% below U.S. |
$102,697±$11kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$388,700±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,556±$256Highest 10% above U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Madison 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. |
$4,074 31% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
69.2%±46Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Madison 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 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 |
| School district | Ware | Madison School District | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.