Compare towns
Quinebaug vs Ware vs Thompson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Quinebaug has the most people working from home (23.3%).
Ware has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Thompson has the most expensive homes ($292k 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 | Quinebaug | Ware | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,193Lowest |
10,048Highest |
9,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 56.5±1Highest 45% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2 39% above U.S. |
| Quinebaug and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 0%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±9.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Quinebaug and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 10.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,181±$36kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
| Quinebaug and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $237,800±$66kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$291,900±$24kHighest 12% below U.S. |
| Thompson and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,043±$109Highest 26% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Ware and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,703Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,822 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.3%±17.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Quinebaug and Thompson 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 | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Ware | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
7.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.