Compare towns
Southampton vs Ware vs Holyoke
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Southampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Holyoke has the most renters (58.7% rent).
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 | Southampton | Ware | Holyoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,230Lowest |
10,048 |
37,813Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±3.5Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
40±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Southampton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.4%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Holyoke and Southampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Southampton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Southampton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $123,125±$23kHighest 18% above MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$53,605±$3kLowest 48% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $452,300±$25kHighest 20% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$274,100±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,043±$109Highest 41% below MA |
$1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
| Ware and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,470Highest 9% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,065Lowest 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.2%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±5.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
27%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 23% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Holyoke 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 | #205 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #281 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Southampton | Ware | Holyoke · Springfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Holyoke High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| 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.