Compare towns
Chester vs Ware vs Erving
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the highest household income ($89k).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
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 | Chester | Ware | Erving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,240Lowest |
6,369Highest |
1,703 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.7Highest 15% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
43.3±2.4 8% above MA |
| Chester and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±8.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Chester and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Erving and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,390±$6kHighest 14% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$77,656±$9k 25% below MA |
| Chester and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $281,900±$14kHighest 50% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$271,800±$20k 52% below MA |
| Chester and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$71 37% below MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,163±$213Highest 34% below MA |
| Erving and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,522Highest 25% below MA |
$3,408 43% below MA |
$1,870Lowest 69% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±22.6 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.5%±23Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Chester 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% |
14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 13 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1957Highest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 7%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
3.6%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Gateway | — | Erving |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.