Compare towns
Putnam vs Ware vs Benson vs Mansfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Ware has the youngest population (median age 43.1).
Benson has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Mansfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Putnam | Ware | Benson | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 540Lowest |
10,048Highest |
784 |
691 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±6.4 38% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
51.9±9.4 33% above U.S. |
54±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Mansfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 35.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Benson and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,344±$14kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$78,625±$8k about the U.S. average |
$83,304±$14k 3% above U.S. |
| Putnam and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $266,200±$48k 20% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$242,000±$26k 27% below U.S. |
$200,000±$29kLowest 40% below U.S. |
| Ware and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,113±$170Highest 21% below U.S. |
— |
| Benson and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,674Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$4,125 32% above U.S. |
$4,122 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±35.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.6%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±12.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Benson 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 | PUTNAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Ware | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.