Compare towns
Mount Washington vs Ware vs New Ashford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Washington has the most expensive homes ($714k median).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
New Ashford has the oldest population (median age 57.1).
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 | Mount Washington | Ware | New Ashford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 193Lowest |
10,048Highest |
257 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 52.1±10.7 30% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
57.1±3.6Highest 43% above MA |
| New Ashford and Mount Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±14.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
8.6%±6.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Mount Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±13 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
34.2%±8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| New Ashford and Mount Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±7.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±6.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| New Ashford and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,500±$26kHighest 37% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$102,188±$30k about the MA average |
| Mount Washington and New Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $714,300±$141kHighest 27% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$390,700±$50k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,043±$109Highest 41% below MA |
$960±$113Lowest 46% below MA |
| Ware and New Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,316 45% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$3,196Lowest 47% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mount Washington and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±14.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.1%±5.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Mount Washington and New Ashford 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 | — |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.