Compare towns
Ware vs Dalton vs Ware vs Palmer Town
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%).
Dalton has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Ware has the most homeowners (72.3%).
Palmer Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
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 | Ware | Dalton | Ware | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
6,256Lowest |
10,048 |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
47.8±5.6 20% above MA |
| Dalton and Palmer Town 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% |
20.6%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Dalton 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% |
27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Dalton and Palmer Town 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% |
44.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
23.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware 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 |
$79,438±$8kHighest 24% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
| Dalton and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$295,700±$26kHighest 47% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$271,400±$21k 52% below MA |
| Dalton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,075±$103Highest 39% below MA |
| Palmer Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,276 29% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,540Highest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6 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% |
7.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% below MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Dalton 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 | #192 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Central Berkshire | Ware | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | Wahconah Regional High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9 |
11.1Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.