Compare towns
Pepperell vs Ware vs Lakeville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pepperell has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Lakeville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Pepperell | Ware | Lakeville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,663 |
10,048Lowest |
11,944Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±3.3Lowest 6% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
43.8±1.9Highest 9% above MA |
| Lakeville and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lakeville and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
38.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Lakeville and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,073±$12k 19% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$133,984±$11kHighest 29% above MA |
| Lakeville and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $482,100±$14k 14% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$565,900±$27kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,295±$238 27% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,884±$466Highest 7% above MA |
| Lakeville and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,698Highest 12% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,536 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±18.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Lakeville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 16% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.1%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.2%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Pepperell and Lakeville 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 | #153 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #96 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Ware | Freetown-Lakeville |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Apponequet Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
10.9Lowest |
| 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.