Compare towns
Ware vs Wakefield vs Athol vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the oldest population (median age 43.1).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Athol has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
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 | Wakefield | Athol | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
27,793Highest |
12,011 |
7,573Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
| Ware and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Athol-Royalston | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Athol High | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
10.7 |
11.6Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.