Compare towns
New Braintree vs Ware vs Wendell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Braintree has the highest household income ($100k).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | New Braintree | Ware | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 973 |
10,048Highest |
850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±4.6Highest 20% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
47.1±8.8 18% above MA |
| New Braintree and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
16%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| New Braintree and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| New Braintree and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
51.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wendell and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,500±$8kHighest 4% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$65,288±$14kLowest 37% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $408,800±$27kHighest 27% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$290,300±$31k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$316Highest 16% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,239±$519 30% below MA |
| New Braintree and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,508Highest 8% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,519 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±51.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.6%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
21.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 26% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
16.8%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wendell 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 | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Ware | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | None 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 |
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.