Compare towns
Effingham vs Ware vs Ware vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Ware has the most renters (42.6% rent).
Middleton has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Effingham | Ware | Ware | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,912 |
6,369 |
10,048Highest |
1,595Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.9±12.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
43.5±5.7 12% above U.S. |
| Effingham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,607±$14k 5% below U.S. |
$45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$101,696±$8kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,700±$30kHighest 3% below U.S. |
$253,400±$31kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$312,300±$27k 6% below U.S. |
| Effingham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,090±$121 23% below U.S. |
$1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,500±$293Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Middleton and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163 66% above U.S. |
$3,408Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$5,504Highest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.6%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
83.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middleton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 19% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Effingham 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | — | Ware | Middleton School District |
| 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 | 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.