Compare towns
Ware vs Plainfield vs Athol vs Winchendon
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 renters (27.7% rent).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
Winchendon has the highest household income ($76k).
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 | Plainfield | Athol | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
1,314Lowest |
12,011Highest |
10,440 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield 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% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 16% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$75,690±$14kHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Winchendon 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. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Winchendon and Plainfield 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. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$3,780 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield 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% |
11.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield 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 | — | #256 of 282 in MA | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | — | Athol-Royalston | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | Athol High | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.