Compare towns
Danby vs Ware vs Washington vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danby has the highest household income ($77k).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Washington has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Danby | Ware | Washington | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,133 |
10,048Highest |
1,056Lowest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.6±4.8 35% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
52.9±5.1Highest 36% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2 30% above U.S. |
| Washington and Danby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Danby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,321±$13kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$66,103±$8kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$75,417±$11k 7% below U.S. |
| Danby and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,400±$41k 18% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$217,700±$37kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42k 27% below U.S. |
| Ware and Danby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$166Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$996±$285 30% below U.S. |
$1,313±$282Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Wells and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,543Highest 46% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,485 12% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.4%±34.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.5%±63.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Washington 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 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Ware | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | 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.