Compare towns
Holyoke vs Ware vs Southampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holyoke has the most renters (58.7% rent).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Southampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Holyoke | Ware | Southampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 37,813Highest |
6,369 |
6,230Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±1.6 about the MA average |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
43.4±3.5Highest 9% above MA |
| Southampton and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±1.6 MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Southampton and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Southampton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,605±$3k 48% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$123,125±$23kHighest 18% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,100±$8k 51% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$452,300±$25kHighest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,039±$104Highest 41% below MA |
— |
| Ware and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,065 32% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,470Highest 9% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.4 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 27%Highest MA: 10% |
14.1% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
57.4% MA: 62.5% |
90.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 34% below MA |
27 minHighest 9% below MA |
22 min 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Holyoke 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 | #281 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #205 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holyoke · Springfield | — | Southampton |
| High school in town | Holyoke High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.