Compare towns
North Adams vs Ware vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Adams has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Ware has the highest household income ($67k).
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 | North Adams | Ware | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,606Highest |
6,369Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±3.5Highest 10% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| North Adams and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| North Adams and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.8%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,500±$7k 54% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$67,475±$15kHighest 35% below MA |
| Ware and North Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,900±$14kLowest 65% below MA |
$253,400±$31k 55% below MA |
$289,700±$28kHighest 48% below MA |
| Ware and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $793±$113Lowest 55% below MA |
$1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$1,043±$109Highest 41% below MA |
| Ware and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,078Lowest 49% below MA |
$3,408 43% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.7%±11Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest MA: 10% |
14.1% MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
57.4% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 40% below MA |
27 min 9% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 9.2%±3.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware 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 | #268 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical | — | Ware |
| High school in town | Charles McCann Vocational Technical | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| 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.