Compare towns
Adams vs Upton vs Ware vs Palmer Town
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).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Ware has the youngest population (median age 43.1).
Palmer Town has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Upton | Ware | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,074Lowest |
8,189 |
10,048 |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.3±3.3 18% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
| Palmer Town and Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Adams and Palmer Town 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,900±$15kLowest 63% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$271,400±$21k 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$74 45% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,075±$103Highest 39% below MA |
| Palmer Town and Ware 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,540 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Adams 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
71.5% 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 |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 19% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.3%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #230 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hoosac Valley Regional | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ware | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
11.1 |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.