Compare towns
Ware vs Needham vs Athol vs Petersham
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).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Petersham has the oldest population (median age 56.3).
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 | Needham | Athol | Petersham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
32,459Highest |
12,011 |
1,185Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
56.3±2.7Highest 41% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
30.5%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$110,750±$20k 7% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$392,400±$20k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,679±$441 5% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,636 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
8.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
94.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Ware | — | Athol-Royalston | Petersham |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | Athol High | None in town |
| 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.