Compare towns
Dover vs Ware vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Ware has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Dover | Ware | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466 |
10,048Highest |
1,389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$72,676±$8kHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Rochester and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55kHighest about the U.S. average |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Dover and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Highest 26% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Ware and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510Highest 45% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Dover 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 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Ware | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None 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 |
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.