Compare towns
Warwick vs Ware vs Athol vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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 (+3.1%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k 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 | Ware | Athol | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 776Lowest |
10,048 |
12,011Highest |
7,573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±7.3Highest 29% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% 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 | 9.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1 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+ | 40.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest 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 | $93,333±$22kHighest 10% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% 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 | $349,400±$34kHighest 38% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
| 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 22% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% 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 | $4,380Highest 27% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±57.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9 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 | 5%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 37% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.4%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Warwick | Ware | Athol-Royalston | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Athol High | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
11.6Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.