Compare towns
Palmer Town vs Ware vs Spencer
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).
Ware has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Spencer has the most expensive homes ($382k median).
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 | Spencer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,381Highest |
10,048Lowest |
12,008 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±5.6 20% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
48.9±6.8Highest 22% above MA |
| Spencer and Palmer Town 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%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Spencer 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% |
26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Spencer 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% |
29.1%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%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Spencer 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 |
$80,533±$11kHighest 23% below MA |
| Spencer 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 |
$382,000±$22kHighest 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,075±$103 39% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,078±$161Highest 39% below MA |
| Spencer and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,540Highest 24% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,387 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±10.6 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±10.3Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
11% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.5% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 8% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
15%±7.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Spencer 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 | #261 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical | Ware | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | Pathfinder Vocational Technical | Ware Junior/Senior High School | David Prouty High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
11.1Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.