Compare towns
Warren vs Wakefield vs Athol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warren has the most renters (35.5% rent).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Warren | Wakefield | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,009Lowest |
27,793Highest |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Wakefield 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 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Athol and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Wakefield and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,082±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,700±$35k 41% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,530 24% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #165 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quaboag Regional | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Quaboag Regional High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
10.7 |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.