Compare towns
Warwick vs Athol vs Ware vs Winchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($243k 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 | Warwick | Athol | Ware | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 776Lowest |
8,801 |
10,048Highest |
4,212 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±7.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
36.8±3.3Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
42.6±4.5 10% above U.S. |
| Warwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 40.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $93,333±$22kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$67,394±$8kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$67,723±$11k 16% below U.S. |
| Warwick and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $349,400±$34kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$248,700±$15k 25% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$242,900±$20kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Warwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,367±$163Highest 3% below U.S. |
$1,120±$173 21% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,209±$143 14% below U.S. |
| Warwick and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,380 40% above U.S. |
$3,170Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$5,314Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±57.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.2%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45%±17.7 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 | 5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
63.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1940Lowest 40 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 52% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.4%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #256 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #120 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Warwick | — | Ware | Winchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
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| 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.