Compare towns
Pawlet vs Ware vs Whitingham vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pawlet has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Pawlet | Ware | Whitingham | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,480 |
10,048Highest |
1,368 |
1,148Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.9±7.5 23% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.4±7.1 19% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Wells and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pawlet and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Whitingham and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,273±$14kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$70,625±$11k 13% below U.S. |
$75,417±$11kHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Wells and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $266,200±$44k 20% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$262,300±$30k 21% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Ware and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$215 18% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$673±$150Lowest 52% below U.S. |
$1,313±$282Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Wells and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,924 26% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$5,055Highest 62% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±21.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.7%±47.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
38 min 44% above U.S. |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pawlet 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Mettawee School District #84 | Ware | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
7.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.