Compare towns
Ware vs Ware vs Petersham vs Athol
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 most renters (42.6% rent).
Petersham has the highest household income ($111k).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
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 | Ware | Petersham | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
6,369 |
1,185Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
56.3±2.7Highest 41% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.5%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$110,750±$20kHighest 7% above MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$392,400±$20kHighest 30% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,679±$441Highest 5% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Petersham and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$3,408 43% below MA |
$4,636Highest 23% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% MA: 10% |
14.1% MA: 10% |
8.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Petersham 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | — | Petersham | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | — | 11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.