Compare towns
Ware vs Winchendon vs Hardwick vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Winchendon has the most homeowners (76.6%).
Hardwick has the most expensive homes ($347k median).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
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 | Winchendon | Hardwick | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
10,440 |
2,684Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+0.6% MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±9.8Highest 13% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Hardwick 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% |
21.8%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick 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% |
21.4% MA: 47.3% |
30.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and Winchendon 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 |
$75,690±$14kHighest 27% below MA |
$75,000±$22k 28% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Winchendon 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 48% below MA |
$323,800±$19k 42% below MA |
$346,700±$67kHighest 38% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Hardwick and Winchendon 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 |
$1,255±$163Highest 29% below MA |
$1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Winchendon 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 |
$3,780 37% below MA |
$4,400Highest 27% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
61.7%±17.6 MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% MA: 10% |
18.5%Highest MA: 10% |
11%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
76.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Winchendon 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 | #269 of 282 in MA | #163 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Winchendon | Quabbin | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Murdock High School | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.3 |
— | 11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.