Compare towns
Stoneham vs Ware vs Woburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stoneham has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Woburn has the most renters (44.3% 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 | Stoneham | Ware | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,355 |
10,048Lowest |
41,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2 6% above MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
39.3±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Ware and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stoneham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Woburn and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,964±$10kHighest 10% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$111,185±$9k 7% above MA |
| Stoneham and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$673,500±$17kHighest 20% above MA |
| Woburn and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142 15% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$2,221±$77Highest 26% above MA |
| Woburn and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523Highest 9% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,354 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | Ware | Woburn |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.1 |
11.2Highest |
| 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.