What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.6%).

Hampden has the highest household income ($105k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ware	Hampden
People
Population	6,369Highest	4,946Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.8±6Lowest about the MA average	50.9±3.3Highest 27% above MA
Kids under 18	23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4%	14%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.8%±5.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	36.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9%
	Hampden 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	$104,536±$16kHighest about the MA average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA	$358,200±$16kHighest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA	$1,132±$107Highest 36% below MA
	Hampden 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	$6,181Highest 3% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8%	36.9%±42.4Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Ware and Hampden 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%	3.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	94.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 9% below MA	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6%	9.9%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Ware and Hampden 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	#199 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Hampden-Wilbraham
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.