Compare towns
Freedom vs Ware vs Center Harbor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freedom has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Ware has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Center Harbor has the highest household income ($104k).
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 | Freedom | Ware | Center Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,494 |
10,048Highest |
955Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.2Highest 56% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
60.4±4.8 55% above U.S. |
| Freedom and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.9%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 40.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
39.5%±13.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Freedom and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,136±$14kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$104,313±$16kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,000±$43k 17% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$463,800±$74kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Center Harbor and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,478Lowest 12% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,667Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 79.6%±75Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±59.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freedom and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Freedom 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 | Freedom School District | 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 |
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.