Compare towns
Upton vs Ware vs Putnam
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Ware has the youngest population (median age 43.1).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% 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 | Upton | Ware | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
10,048Highest |
9,292 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
| Upton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44Highest 19% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ware | Putnam School District |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Putnam High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
11.1 |
9.5Lowest |
| 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.