Compare towns
Ware vs Warren vs Windsor vs Athol
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 people working from home (12.3%).
Warren has the most expensive homes ($334k median).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
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 | Warren | Windsor | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
5,009 |
3,554Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
38.7±7.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.8±6.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Windsor 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% |
20.8%±8 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Warren 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% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor 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% |
23.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Athol 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 16% below U.S. |
$66,082±$6k 18% below U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5kHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Athol and Ware 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. |
$333,700±$35kHighest about the U.S. average |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
| Warren and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$890±$174Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,026±$89 27% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182Highest 19% below U.S. |
| Athol and Ware 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. |
$4,530 45% above U.S. |
$5,209Highest 67% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 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% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Athol 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 | #165 of 282 in MA | #61 of 70 in VT | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Quaboag Regional | — | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Quaboag Regional High | — | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
10.0Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.