Compare towns
Ware vs Maynard vs Winchendon 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).
Maynard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Winchendon has the youngest population (median age 39.6).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k 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 | Maynard | Winchendon | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
10,712 |
10,440 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
45.3±4.3Highest 13% above MA |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Maynard 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% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Athol 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% |
21.4% MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Winchendon 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 |
$124,067±$16kHighest 19% above MA |
$75,690±$14k 27% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$527,400±$31kHighest 6% below MA |
$323,800±$19k 42% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,800±$148Highest about the MA average |
$1,255±$163 29% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$8,266Highest 38% above MA |
$3,780 37% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.7%±17.6 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Winchendon 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% |
18.5%Highest MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75% MA: 62.5% |
76.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Maynard 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 | #166 of 282 in MA | #269 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Maynard | Winchendon | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Maynard High | Murdock High School | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
9.7Lowest |
11.3 |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.