Compare towns
Ware vs Warwick vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
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 | Warwick | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
776Lowest |
8,801 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
0%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
51.4±7.3Highest 29% above MA |
36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
| Warwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Ware 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% |
23.2%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Warwick 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% MA: 47.3% |
40.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| 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 35% below MA |
$93,333±$22kHighest 10% below MA |
$67,394±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
| Warwick 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 48% below MA |
$349,400±$34kHighest 38% below MA |
$248,700±$15kLowest 56% below MA |
| Warwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,367±$163Highest 22% below MA |
$1,120±$173 36% below MA |
| Warwick 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 |
$4,380Highest 27% below MA |
$3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.2%±17.9 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% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
21%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
40 minHighest 37% above MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Warwick and Ware 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 | — | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Warwick | — |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.