Compare towns
Ware vs Salisbury vs Athol vs Dudley
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).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Salisbury | Athol | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
1,609Lowest |
12,011Highest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Dudley 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% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury 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% |
37.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Dudley 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. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Dudley and Salisbury 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. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Dudley 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. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury 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 | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Merrimack Valley School District | Athol-Royalston | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Athol High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.6 |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.