Compare towns
Adams vs Sutton vs Ware vs Montague
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Adams has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
Ware has the youngest population (median age 43.1).
Montague has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Adams | Sutton | Ware | Montague |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,074Lowest |
9,452 |
10,048Highest |
8,482 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+1.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.3±3.3Highest 18% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±3.1 11% above MA |
| Adams and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
19%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Adams and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.5% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Adams and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,929±$6kLowest 43% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$70,510±$12k 32% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,900±$15kLowest 63% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$282,100±$17k 50% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$74Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,207±$115Highest 31% below MA |
| Montague and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,638Lowest 39% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,922 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Montague and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
11.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
62.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1951 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 19% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min about the MA average |
21 minLowest 28% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Montague 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 | #230 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #265 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hoosac Valley Regional | Sutton | Ware | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Franklin County Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.7 |
| 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.