Compare towns
Dudley vs Palmer Town vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
Palmer Town has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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.
| Measure | Dudley | Palmer Town | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,929 |
12,381Highest |
10,048Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Palmer Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest 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+ | 16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Palmer Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
$78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Dudley and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
$1,075±$103 39% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| Dudley and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,540Highest 24% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Dudley 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 | #142 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical | Ware |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Pathfinder Vocational Technical | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
9.9Lowest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.