Compare towns
Montague vs Ware vs Blackstone
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Montague has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Ware has the youngest population (median age 43.1).
Blackstone has the most expensive homes ($404k 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 | Montague | Ware | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,482Lowest |
10,048Highest |
9,255 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±3.1Highest 11% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
43.2±1.7 8% above MA |
| Montague and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Blackstone and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Montague and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,510±$12k 32% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$94,191±$21kHighest 9% below MA |
| Blackstone and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,100±$17kLowest 50% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$404,400±$34kHighest 28% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$115Highest 31% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,189±$85 33% below MA |
| Montague and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,922Lowest 35% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$5,703Highest 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.6%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
65%±18.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Blackstone and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
73.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 28% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Blackstone and Montague 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 | #265 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague | Ware | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Franklin County Technical | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
11.1Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| 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.