Compare towns
Holyoke vs Ware vs Ware vs Everett
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Ware has the most homeowners (72.3%).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
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 | Ware | Everett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 37,813 |
6,369Lowest |
10,048 |
50,045Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±1.6 about the MA average |
39.8±6 about the MA average |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
| Ware 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%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Everett 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%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Everett 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 |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
| Everett and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,100±$8k 51% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,065 32% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Ware 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% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3% MA: 62.5% |
57.4% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 34% below MA |
27 min 9% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware 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 | #281 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holyoke · Springfield | — | Ware | Everett |
| High school in town | Holyoke High | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Everett High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.