Compare towns
Adams 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).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Palmer Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
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 | Ware | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,074 |
6,369Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.3±3.3 18% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
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% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Adams 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% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest 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±$6k 43% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$78,480±$8kHighest 25% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,900±$15kLowest 63% below MA |
$253,400±$31k 55% below MA |
$271,400±$21kHighest 52% below MA |
| Palmer Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$74Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,039±$104 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 | $3,638 39% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,540Highest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.1% MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 19% below MA |
27 min 9% below MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.3%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #230 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hoosac Valley Regional | — | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.