What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hawley has the most people working from home (19.3%).

Ware has the youngest population (median age 43.1).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hawley	Ware
People
Population	277Lowest	10,048Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+2% MA: +7.4%
Median age	56.8±7.2Highest 42% above MA	43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA
Kids under 18	17.7%±10Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Ware and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	37.2%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9%	20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	24%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±5.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9%
	Ware and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$87,500±$26kHighest 16% below MA	$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA
	Hawley and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$309,600±$38kHighest 45% below MA	$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA
	Hawley and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,043±$109 41% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,097Lowest 32% below MA	$4,237Highest 29% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50%±100Lowest MA: 51.8%	64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Ware and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.9%Lowest MA: 10%	11.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94%Highest MA: 62.5%	72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Highest 1 yr older than MA	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	28 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	19.3%±12.6Highest MA: 18.6%	12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Hawley 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	—	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

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.