Compare towns
Northbridge vs Ware vs Whitman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the most people working from home (16.2%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Whitman has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
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 | Northbridge | Ware | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
10,048Lowest |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
40.4±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Northbridge and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Whitman and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
| Northbridge and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$472,700±$12kHighest 16% below MA |
| Whitman and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821 20% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Northbridge 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Ware | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
11.1Highest |
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| 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.