Compare towns
Guildhall vs Ware vs Lancaster vs Belvidere
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Guildhall has the highest household income ($115k).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Lancaster has the shortest commute (20 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 | Guildhall | Ware | Lancaster | Belvidere |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 371Lowest |
10,048Highest |
2,230 |
422 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.6±7.8 10% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
38.6±8.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.7±6.5 5% above U.S. |
| Ware and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.1%±8.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
8.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Guildhall and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,000±$46kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$66,765±$20kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$81,563±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Guildhall and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $321,200±$62kHighest 3% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$200,500±$24kLowest 40% below U.S. |
$239,200±$51k 28% below U.S. |
| Guildhall and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$717Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,036±$221 27% below U.S. |
$1,542±$1kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Belvidere and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,625Highest 48% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,225 35% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±18.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±53.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Guildhall and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Lancaster 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 | #107 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Ware | — | — |
| High school 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 |
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.