Compare towns
Ashford vs Ware vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashford has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Thomaston has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
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 | Ashford | Ware | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,226Lowest |
10,048Highest |
7,492 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37.9±10.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7 7% above U.S. |
| Ware and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Thomaston and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Thomaston and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,926±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$103,218±$15k 28% above U.S. |
| Ashford and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,800±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$282,600±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Ashford and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$208Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,037±$147Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Ashford and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,982Highest 124% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,915 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47%±26Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashford 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 | #90 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ashford School District | Ware | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.