Compare towns
Ware vs Brookfield vs Ware vs North Adams
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 people working from home (16.6%).
Brookfield has the most homeowners (87.5%).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
North Adams has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Brookfield | Ware | North Adams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
3,460Lowest |
10,048 |
12,606Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
44.1±3.5 10% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and North Adams 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% |
28.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
28.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
9.8%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| North Adams and Brookfield 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 |
$81,250±$37kHighest 22% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$47,500±$7k 54% below MA |
| Brookfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31k 55% below MA |
$341,900±$23kHighest 39% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$195,900±$14kLowest 65% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$1,014±$161 42% below MA |
$1,043±$109Highest 41% below MA |
$793±$113Lowest 55% below MA |
| Ware and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408 43% below MA |
$5,092Highest 15% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,078Lowest 49% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
63.7%±11 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% MA: 10% |
8.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
18.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4% MA: 62.5% |
87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
51%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% below MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
17 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.5Lowest 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #109 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #268 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Brookfield | Ware | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Charles McCann Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.