Compare towns
Ware vs Ossipee 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%).
Ossipee has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Ossipee | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
4,521Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
50±4.6Highest 29% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Ossipee 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% |
19.5%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Ossipee 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% |
26.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ossipee 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% |
24.8%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% |
2.9%±1.7Lowest 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. |
$90,521±$22kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Ossipee and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$325,500±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Ossipee and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,401Highest 41% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee 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% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest 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 | #100 of 120 in NH | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Governor Wentworth Regional 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.