Compare towns
Ware vs Maynard vs Athol vs New Salem
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).
Maynard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Athol has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
New Salem has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
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 | Maynard | Athol | New Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
10,712 |
12,011Highest |
1,054Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
55.6±2.4Highest 39% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.5%±4.5Lowest 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% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
23.7%±6.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| New Salem 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% |
64.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 35% below MA |
$124,067±$16kHighest 19% above MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$79,688±$19k 23% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$527,400±$31kHighest 6% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$359,000±$40k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,800±$148Highest about the MA average |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,194±$88 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$8,266Highest 38% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,509 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
86.7%±25.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| New Salem 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% |
8.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
9.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75% MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
23 minLowest 20% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.4%±8 MA: 18.6% |
| Maynard and New Salem 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 | #166 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Ware | — | Athol-Royalston | — |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | Athol High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
— |
| 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.