Compare towns
Ryegate vs Ware vs Bath vs Proctor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ryegate has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Bath has the oldest population (median age 48.6).
Proctor has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Ryegate | Ware | Bath | Proctor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,059Lowest |
10,048Highest |
1,097 |
1,794 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
48.6±8.6Highest 25% above U.S. |
42.4±6.4 9% above U.S. |
| Bath and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Ryegate and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,484±$15kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$67,813±$22k 16% below U.S. |
$74,167±$12kHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Proctor and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,300±$32k 34% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$234,400±$23k 30% below U.S. |
$209,900±$17kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $908±$236Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,438±$309Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,029±$202 27% below U.S. |
| Bath and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,472Lowest 11% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,413Highest 41% above U.S. |
$4,032 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±29.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
5.9%±61.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949 31 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Bath 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 | — | Ware | Bath School District | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
— | 8.7Lowest |
| 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.