Compare towns
Palmer Town vs Ware vs Ludlow
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
Ware has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 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 | Ware | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,381 |
10,048Lowest |
20,904Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±1.8 11% above MA |
| Palmer Town and Ludlow 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% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ludlow and Palmer Town 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% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
27%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ludlow and Ware 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$84,838±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
| Ludlow and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$335,300±$10kHighest 40% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,075±$103 39% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,223±$82Highest 31% below MA |
| Ludlow and Palmer Town 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 |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,918Highest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±10.6 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest 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% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
77.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 8% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ludlow 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 | #252 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical | Ware | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Pathfinder Vocational Technical | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
11.1Highest |
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.