Compare towns
Easthampton vs Ware vs Montague
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Easthampton has the most expensive homes ($372k median).
Ware has the most homeowners (72.3%).
Montague has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Easthampton | Ware | Montague |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,086Highest |
10,048 |
8,482Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±3.1 11% above MA |
| Easthampton and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Easthampton and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Easthampton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,673±$7kHighest 31% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$70,510±$12k 32% below MA |
| Easthampton and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$15kHighest 34% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$282,100±$17kLowest 50% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$70Highest 27% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,207±$115 31% below MA |
| Easthampton and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,932Highest 18% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,922Lowest 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Montague and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
11.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 23% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
21 minLowest 28% below MA |
| Work from home | 19%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Easthampton and Montague 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 | #92 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #265 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Easthampton | Ware | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague |
| High school in town | Easthampton High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Franklin County Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.1 |
11.7Highest |
| 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.