Compare towns
Rockland vs Ware vs Whitman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rockland has the most people working from home (14.7%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Whitman has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
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 | Rockland | Ware | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,701Highest |
10,048Lowest |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±3.3 about the MA average |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
40.4±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Ware and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Whitman and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Whitman and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,405±$12kHighest 8% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
| Rockland and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,900±$21kHighest 16% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
| Rockland and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,610±$255 9% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
| Whitman and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,487Highest 8% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±10.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.7%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Rockland 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 | #175 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Rockland | Ware | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Rockland Senior High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.1Lowest |
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| 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.