Compare towns
Topsfield vs Ware vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsfield has the most people working from home (29.4%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Topsfield | Ware | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,564Lowest |
10,048Highest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±1.8Lowest 6% above MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
43.1±2Highest 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 24.8%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Topsfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 71.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $195,718±$16kHighest 88% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
| Topsfield and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,115±$538 37% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,407±$284Highest 20% below MA |
| Middleton and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.4%±8.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #172 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Topsfield | Ware | Middleton |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.