Compare towns
Kingston vs Plympton vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kingston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Plympton has the most homeowners (93.1%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 | Kingston | Plympton | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,027Highest |
2,935Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±3.9Highest 16% above MA |
46.4±4.2 16% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
| Kingston and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Plympton and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Kingston and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
38.4% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,876±$13k 15% above MA |
$126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Plympton and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $610,600±$30kHighest 9% above MA |
$517,800±$52k 8% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,159±$244Highest 34% below MA |
$555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Kingston and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,650Highest 28% above MA |
$6,628 11% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.8%±40.6 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.3% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2% MA: 62.5% |
93.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 20% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.5%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±6 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Kingston and Plympton 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 | #99 of 282 in MA | #110 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Kingston · Silver Lake | Plympton | Ware |
| High school in town | Silver Lake Regional High | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| 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.