Compare towns
Roxbury vs Ware vs Warren vs Lowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Warren has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16%).
Lowell has the most affordable homes ($183k 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 | Roxbury | Ware | Warren | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 942Lowest |
10,048Highest |
1,585 |
1,070 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±11.7 8% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
53.1±4.2Highest 37% above U.S. |
32.9±6.5Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 30.6%±5 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
9.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
30.7%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lowell and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
60%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,214±$22k 9% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$86,905±$16kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$57,404±$15kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Warren and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,600±$55k 27% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$569,300±$123kHighest 71% above U.S. |
$183,400±$33kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$495 33% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,750±$394Highest 24% above U.S. |
$945±$46Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,284 37% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$7,284Highest 134% above U.S. |
$2,810Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.3%±26.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.3%±92.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 27.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
55 minHighest 109% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.2%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.5%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Ware | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Lowell School District |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | 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.