Compare towns
Devens vs Dudley vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 | Devens | Dudley | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
11,929Highest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Devens and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Dudley and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539Highest 15% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| Devens and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556Highest 7% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #142 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Ware |
| High school in town | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.