Compare towns
Walden vs Ware vs Cabot vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walden has the highest household income ($88k).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($223k median).
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 | Walden | Ware | Cabot | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,037 |
10,048Highest |
1,579 |
999Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
40.3±6.6Lowest 4% above U.S. |
50.1±5.9Highest 29% above U.S. |
| Topsham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
27.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Cabot and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$77,031±$16k 5% below U.S. |
$72,308±$60k 10% below U.S. |
| Walden and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$268,500±$77k 19% below U.S. |
$222,900±$56kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Ware and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,243±$354Highest 12% below U.S. |
$908±$398 36% below U.S. |
| Cabot and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,639Highest 49% above U.S. |
$4,006 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±26.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
91.9%±28.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Topsham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
30 min 13% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Ware | — | Waits River Union High District #36 |
| 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 | 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.