Compare towns
Halifax vs Ware vs Newark vs Marlboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
Ware has the most renters (42.6% rent).
Newark has the most affordable homes ($230k median).
Marlboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+59.7%).
Marlboro is a college town. 42.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Halifax | Ware | Newark | Marlboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 847 |
6,369Highest |
727Lowest |
1,362 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+59.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.6±13.1 4% above U.S. |
39.8±6 about the U.S. average |
41.4±6Highest 6% above U.S. |
22.7±2.1Lowest 42% below U.S. |
| Newark and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
22%±3 U.S.: 22% |
12%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±7.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Halifax and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
42.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,889±$7k 21% below U.S. |
$45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$72,929±$7k 10% below U.S. |
$77,135±$10kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Marlboro and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,500±$21k 20% below U.S. |
$253,400±$31k 24% below U.S. |
$229,900±$23kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$357,300±$55kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,039±$104 26% below U.S. |
$1,708±$97Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,600±$824 13% above U.S. |
| Newark and Marlboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,991 60% above U.S. |
$3,408Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$3,771 21% above U.S. |
$5,640Highest 81% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±73.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
7.1%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±43.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 23% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±8.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26%±11.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax and Marlboro 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 | Halifax School District | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Marlboro School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.