What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cheshire has the oldest population (median age 53.7).

Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Cheshire	Ware
People
Population	3,216Lowest	10,048Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	53.7±4.5Highest 34% above MA	43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA
Kids under 18	15.3%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Ware and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9%	20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Cheshire and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	24%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Cheshire and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,803±$14kHighest 33% below MA	$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA
	Cheshire and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$268,200±$48kLowest 52% below MA	$289,700±$28kHighest 48% below MA
	Ware and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,043±$109 41% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,005Lowest 50% below MA	$4,237Highest 29% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	21.2%±24Lowest MA: 51.8%	64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	8.6%Lowest MA: 10%	11.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89%Highest MA: 62.5%	72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Highest same as MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest about the MA average	28 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	4.4%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#274 of 282 in MA	#267 of 282 in MA
School district	Hoosac Valley Regional	Ware
High school in town	Hoosac Valley High School	Ware Junior/Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.5Lowest	11.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.