Compare towns
Warren vs Danielson vs Ware 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
Warren has the most expensive homes ($334k median).
Danielson has the most renters (47% rent).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
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 | Warren | Danielson | Ware | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,009 |
4,209Lowest |
10,048 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±7.3 about the U.S. average |
34.5±3.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above 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 | 20.8%±8 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.6%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.2%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Danielson and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,082±$6k 18% below U.S. |
$64,050±$15kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$69,316±$5kHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,700±$35kHighest about the U.S. average |
$224,600±$13kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$268,100±$13k 19% below U.S. |
| Warren and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $890±$174Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,235±$194Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Danielson and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,530Highest 45% above U.S. |
$4,009 29% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.7%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.7%±17.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest 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 | 9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
53%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest 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 | #165 of 282 in MA | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quaboag Regional | — | Ware | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Quaboag Regional High | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
— | 11.1 |
11.6Highest |
| 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.