Compare towns
Bellingham vs Ware vs Shirley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellingham has the most renters (31.2% rent).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Shirley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
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 | Bellingham | Ware | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,325Lowest |
10,048Highest |
6,976 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±7.6 10% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±3.4Highest 11% above MA |
| Shirley and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,763±$14k 7% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$122,365±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
| Shirley and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,200±$23kHighest 23% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$427,600±$36k 24% below MA |
| Bellingham and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,009±$358Highest 14% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,481±$421 16% below MA |
| Bellingham and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477 25% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,156Highest 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.7%±25.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
57.1%±21.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bellingham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
9.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
77.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
40 minHighest 39% above MA |
| Work from home | 18%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Shirley and Bellingham 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 | #232 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ware | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.