Compare towns
Townsend vs Ware vs Ware vs Holbrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Ware has the oldest population (median age 43.1).
Holbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Townsend | Ware | Ware | Holbrook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100 |
6,369Lowest |
10,048 |
11,380Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
42.8±3.2 7% above MA |
| Ware and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
34.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$115,210±$14k 11% above MA |
| Townsend and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$465,400±$21kHighest 17% below MA |
| Holbrook and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,094±$423 38% below MA |
| Townsend and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 about the MA average |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$6,105Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
47.8%±18.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
7.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
84%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 27% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #234 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | — | Ware | Holbrook |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Holbrook Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— | 11.1Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.