Compare towns
Lancaster vs Ware vs Warren
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Warren has the most renters (35.5% rent).
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 | Lancaster | Ware | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606 |
10,048Highest |
5,009Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Warren and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
23.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$66,082±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$333,700±$35k 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,530 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
64.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #145 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #165 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Ware | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Quaboag Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| 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.