Compare towns
Ware vs Ayer vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most renters (42.6% rent).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Ware has the oldest population (median age 43.1).
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 | Ware | Ayer | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,369Lowest |
8,645 |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6 about the MA average |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
| Ware and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Ayer and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$101,875±$15kHighest about the MA average |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$463,800±$29kHighest 17% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,415±$180Highest 20% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,057Highest 16% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 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 | 14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
10.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer 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 | #113 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ayer Shirley School District | Ware |
| High school in town | — | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.