Compare towns
Peru vs Rowe vs Ware vs Washington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the most homeowners (98.2%).
Rowe has the most kids (23% under 18).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Washington has the most expensive homes ($371k 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 | Peru | Rowe | Ware | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 630 |
453Lowest |
10,048Highest |
526 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9% MA: +7.4% |
— | +2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.6±4.8 32% above MA |
48.9±6.4 22% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
56.5±7.7Highest 41% above MA |
| Washington and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
23%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±5.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Rowe and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.9 MA: 17.9% |
30.2%±8.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.4%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Washington and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28% MA: 47.3% |
26.2% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
32.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,750±$18k 13% below MA |
$69,583±$13k 33% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$95,278±$12kHighest 8% below MA |
| Washington and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,400±$15kLowest 52% below MA |
$275,000±$41k 51% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$370,700±$32kHighest 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,313±$576Highest 25% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
— |
| Rowe and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,805 36% below MA |
$1,458Lowest 76% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,381Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±100 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
15.8%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
90.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
36 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±10.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Washington 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 | — | Rowe | Ware | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.