Compare towns
Ware vs Webster vs Woonsocket 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%).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% 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 | Webster | Woonsocket | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
17,748 |
43,521Highest |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Ware and Athol 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% |
19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Webster 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% |
25.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Woonsocket 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. |
$72,895±$6kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Webster and Athol 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. |
$361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Webster and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,999 28% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Webster | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Bartlett High School | Woonsocket High School | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.6 |
15.2Highest |
11.6 |
| 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.