Compare towns
Sheffield vs Ware vs Wheelock vs Ryegate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Wheelock has the most people working from home (21.1%).
Ryegate has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Sheffield | Ware | Wheelock | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 573Lowest |
10,048Highest |
717 |
1,059 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8 8% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
51±5.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.2±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Wheelock and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ryegate and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sheffield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,333±$26kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kHighest 16% below U.S. |
$64,792±$20k 20% below U.S. |
$66,484±$15k 18% below U.S. |
| Ware and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $171,900±$50kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$189,600±$37k 43% below U.S. |
$219,300±$32k 34% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $967±$79 32% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Highest 26% below U.S. |
— | $908±$236Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Ware and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,123Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$2,937 6% below U.S. |
$3,472 11% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.5%±41.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±29.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1949Lowest 31 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.1%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.1%±16Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wheelock 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Ware | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | — |
| 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.