Compare towns
Ware vs Warren vs Hardwick 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
Warren has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16%).
Hardwick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k 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 | Warren | Hardwick | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
1,585Lowest |
2,684 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
53.1±4.2Highest 37% above U.S. |
45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Warren and Hardwick 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% |
9.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Hardwick 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% |
30.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Warren and Hardwick 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% |
60%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick 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. |
$86,905±$16kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$75,000±$22k 7% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Warren and Hardwick 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. |
$569,300±$123kHighest 71% above U.S. |
$346,700±$67k 4% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,750±$394Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,108±$119 22% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$7,284Highest 134% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.3%±26.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Hardwick 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% |
15.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.2%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | — | #163 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Quabbin | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | — | 11.6Highest |
| 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.