Compare towns
Ware vs Webster vs Upton vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Webster | Upton | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
17,748Highest |
8,189Lowest |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Upton 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster 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 35% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Webster 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 |
$3,999 33% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 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% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
31 min 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Webster | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Bartlett High School | Blackstone Valley | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.6Highest |
11.2 |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.