Compare towns
Florida vs Ware vs Washington vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the youngest population (median age 43.1).
Washington has the most expensive homes ($371k median).
Monroe has the most affordable homes ($165k 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 | Florida | Ware | Washington | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 668 |
10,048Highest |
526 |
122Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 56.1±4.4 40% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
56.5±7.7 41% above MA |
60.2±9.9Highest 51% above MA |
| Monroe and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±28 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.1%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.4%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
31.1%±27.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Washington and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.3% MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
32.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
19.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9%±18.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Monroe and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,875±$17k 16% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$95,278±$12kHighest 8% below MA |
— |
| Washington and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $246,800±$19k 56% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$370,700±$32kHighest 34% below MA |
$165,000±$141kLowest 71% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $867±$256Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,043±$109Highest 41% below MA |
— | — |
| Ware and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,894Lowest 68% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,381Highest 27% below MA |
$2,053 66% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±100 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
38.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.3% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 10% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
56 minHighest 93% above MA |
| Work from home | 6.4%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±10.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
0%±41.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Washington and Ware 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 | Florida | Ware | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.