Compare towns
Palmer Town 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
Palmer Town has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
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 | Palmer Town | Ware | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,381 |
10,048Lowest |
15,295Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
40.4±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Palmer Town and Ware 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%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Whitman 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Palmer Town and Ware 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% |
31.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.5Lowest 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 | $78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$108,933±$14kHighest 5% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$472,700±$12kHighest 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,075±$103 39% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,540 24% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±10.6Lowest 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 | 8.3% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.5% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 8% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Whitman 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 | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical | Ware | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Pathfinder Vocational Technical | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
11.1Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.