Compare towns
Ware vs Warwick vs Athol vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warwick has the highest household income ($89k).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
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 | Warwick | Athol | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
83,175Highest |
12,011 |
7,573Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
44.3±1Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±1.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Warwick 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±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$88,708±$6kHighest 10% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$354,600±$5kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,363±$76Highest 4% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| 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 36% above U.S. |
$4,616Highest 48% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest 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% |
7.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #28 of 38 in RI | #256 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Warwick | Athol-Royalston | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Pilgrim High School | Athol High | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
10.5 |
11.6Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.