Compare towns
Unity vs Ware vs Jefferson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has the highest household income ($88k).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Jefferson has the most people working from home (17.5%).
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 | Unity | Ware | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,375 |
10,048Highest |
1,013Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58±4.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
58±3.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±9.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Unity and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,500±$16kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$67,188±$13kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Unity and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $276,100±$29kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$296,700±$92kHighest 11% below U.S. |
| Jefferson and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$804Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$867±$156Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Unity and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,394Highest 73% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,196Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±71.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
35 min 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jefferson 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Unity School District | Ware | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.