Compare towns
Belvidere vs Guildhall vs Ware vs Bakersfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belvidere has the most affordable homes ($239k median).
Guildhall has the highest household income ($115k).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Bakersfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).
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 | Belvidere | Guildhall | Ware | Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 422 |
371Lowest |
10,048Highest |
1,109 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.6±7.8 10% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
46.4±8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Bakersfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±4 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±7.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
13.6%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Guildhall and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 8.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Guildhall and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bakersfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,563±$18k about the U.S. average |
$115,000±$46kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$83,462±$18k 3% above U.S. |
| Guildhall and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $239,200±$51kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$321,200±$62kHighest 3% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$271,300±$19k 18% below U.S. |
| Guildhall and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,542±$1kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$850±$717Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,200±$327 15% below U.S. |
| Belvidere and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 25% above U.S. |
$4,625Highest 48% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,823Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±53.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
18.8%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Guildhall and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.4%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bakersfield 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 | — | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | — | Ware | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| 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 | 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.