Compare towns
Leyden vs Ware vs Webster vs Guilford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Leyden has the highest household income ($106k).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Guilford has the most people working from home (16.7%).
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 | Leyden | Ware | Webster | Guilford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 637Lowest |
10,048 |
17,748Highest |
2,461 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.2±8.2Highest 37% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.7±5.2 20% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Leyden and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $105,893±$13kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$75,243±$6k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $372,900±$24kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$312,600±$39k 6% below U.S. |
| Leyden and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,917±$451Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,283±$273 9% below U.S. |
| Leyden and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,651 49% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$5,827Highest 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Guilford 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Ware | Webster | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Bartlett High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.