Compare towns
Ware vs Vershire 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).
Vershire has the most affordable homes ($209k median).
Athol has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Vershire | Athol | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
842Lowest |
12,011Highest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.9%Lowest 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. |
45.7±9.3Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Vershire 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% |
19.1%±4.5Lowest 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% |
22.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Vershire 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% |
31.8%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% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$71,618±$12k 11% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Dudley and Vershire 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. |
$209,100±$55kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,117±$80 21% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182Highest 14% below U.S. |
| Dudley 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. |
$4,640Highest 49% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
77.8%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Vershire 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% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%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. |
1985Highest 5 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 23% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | Athol-Royalston | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | 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.