Compare towns
Rochester vs Ware vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most expensive homes ($599k median).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Rochester | Ware | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,837Lowest |
10,048Highest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.3% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±6 16% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
| Westminster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westminster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $120,273±$12kHighest 16% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$106,331±$22k about the MA average |
| Rochester and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $599,100±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$422,000±$36k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,432±$743 19% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Westminster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,530Highest 9% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,973 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 25% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Westminster 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 | #104 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Ware | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.1Lowest |
11.1 |
13.6Highest |
| 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.