Compare towns
Warren vs Warwick vs Ware 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).
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
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 | Warwick | Ware | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,009 |
776Lowest |
10,048 |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
0% MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
51.4±7.3Highest 29% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
| Warwick and Ware 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% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 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% |
23.2%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Warwick and Ware 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% |
40.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest 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 | $66,082±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$93,333±$22kHighest 10% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
| Warwick and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,700±$35k 41% below MA |
$349,400±$34kHighest 38% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Warwick and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,367±$163Highest 22% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Warwick and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,530Highest 24% below MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±57.3 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
40 minHighest 37% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Warwick 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 | #165 of 282 in MA | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quaboag Regional | Warwick | Ware | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Quaboag Regional High | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
— | 11.1 |
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.