What stands out worked out from the figures below

Palmer Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).

Warren has the most kids (20.8% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Palmer Town	Warren
People
Population	12,381Highest	5,009Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA	38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA
	Palmer Town and Warren 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%	20.8%±8Highest MA: 19.4%
	Warren and Palmer Town 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%	14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Palmer Town and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.5%Highest MA: 47.3%	23.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Palmer Town and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,480±$8kHighest 25% below MA	$66,082±$6kLowest 36% below MA
	Palmer Town and Warren 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	$333,700±$35kHighest 41% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,075±$103Highest 39% below MA	$890±$174Lowest 49% below MA
	Palmer Town and Warren 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	$4,530Lowest 24% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.9%±10.6Highest MA: 51.8%	29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Palmer Town and Warren 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%	9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	64.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 8% above MA	33 minHighest 13% above MA
Work from home	7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	8.5%±5.4Highest MA: 18.6%
	Warren and Palmer Town 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	#165 of 282 in MA
School district	Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical	Quaboag Regional
High school in town	Pathfinder Vocational Technical	Quaboag Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.9Lowest	10.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.