Compare towns
Ware vs Springfield 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).
Springfield has the most people working from home (16.7%).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
Winchendon has the youngest population (median age 39.6).
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 | Springfield | Athol | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
1,122Lowest |
12,011Highest |
10,440 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4%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. |
51.4±8.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Springfield 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% |
15.1%±8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Springfield 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% |
36.4%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% |
0%±1.5Lowest 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. |
$100,893±$19kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$75,690±$14k 6% below U.S. |
| Springfield and Winchendon 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. |
$384,100±$50kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19k about the U.S. average |
| Springfield and Winchendon 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. |
$1,096±$217 22% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Athol 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. |
$5,946Highest 91% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$3,780 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%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% |
90.7%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. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Springfield 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.