Compare towns
Palmer Town vs Upton vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Palmer Town | Upton | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,381Highest |
8,189Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
| Palmer Town and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Palmer Town and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,075±$103Highest 39% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Palmer Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,540 24% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±10.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 8% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #252 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ware |
| High school in town | Pathfinder Vocational Technical | Blackstone Valley | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
11.2Highest |
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.