Compare towns
Ware vs Effingham vs Ware vs Adams
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Adams has the most affordable homes ($210k 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 | Ware | Effingham | Ware | Adams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
1,912Lowest |
10,048Highest |
8,074 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.9±12.4 21% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
47.3±3.3Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Adams and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Adams 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Adams 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 44% below U.S. |
$76,607±$14kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$58,929±$6k 27% below U.S. |
| Effingham 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 24% below U.S. |
$322,700±$30kHighest 3% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$209,900±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Effingham 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 26% below U.S. |
$1,090±$121Highest 23% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$963±$74Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Effingham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,638 17% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Effingham 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #230 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Ware | Hoosac Valley Regional |
| 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.