Compare towns
Newark vs Ware vs Brighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newark has the most homeowners (90.8%).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Brighton has the most renters (48.9% rent).
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 | Newark | Ware | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 727Lowest |
10,048Highest |
1,167 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.4±6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Brighton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Newark and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brighton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brighton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,929±$7kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Newark and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,900±$23k 31% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,708±$97Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,771 21% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.1%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.8%±8.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newark and Brighton 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Ware | Brighton School District |
| 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 |
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.