Compare towns
Leicester vs Ware vs Pawlet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Leicester has the most expensive homes ($310k median).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Pawlet has the most people working from home (20.4%).
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 | Leicester | Ware | Pawlet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
10,048Highest |
1,480 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
47.9±7.5 23% above U.S. |
| Leicester and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pawlet and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±6.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pawlet and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,417±$30kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$62,273±$14kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Leicester and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,700±$107kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$266,200±$44kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Leicester and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,098±$300 22% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,153±$215Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Pawlet and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,924 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.6%±21.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 7% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.7%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pawlet and Leicester 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 | Mettawee School District #84 |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.