Compare towns
Ware vs Worthington 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 renters (27.7% rent).
Worthington has the most people working from home (28.2%).
Athol has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Worthington | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
1,021Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
61.6±3.6Highest 54% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
12.8%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest 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% |
39.5%±5.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% MA: 47.3% |
46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 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±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$91,667±$17kHighest 12% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$380,400±$26kHighest 32% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$633±$220Lowest 64% below MA |
$1,150±$182Highest 35% below MA |
| Athol and Ware 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 |
$5,443Highest 9% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
62.5%±63 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Worthington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% MA: 10% |
4.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
41 minHighest 41% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±12.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Worthington 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 | Worthington | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| 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.