Compare towns
Sterling vs Ware vs Clinton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sterling has the highest household income ($129k).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Clinton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
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 | Sterling | Ware | Clinton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,183Lowest |
10,048 |
15,563Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.5±1.8Highest 29% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
38.6±2.7Lowest 4% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sterling and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.9%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Clinton and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $129,063±$27kHighest 24% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$89,781±$10k 14% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,800±$48kHighest 11% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$387,300±$19k 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,699±$161Highest 4% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,402±$76 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,757Highest 13% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,654 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±23.1 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
40.3%±6.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
54.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 18.3%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.2%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Sterling and Clinton 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 | #135 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #246 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Ware | Clinton |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Clinton Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.