Compare towns
Ware vs Pawtucket vs North 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 people working from home (16.6%).
Pawtucket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
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 | Pawtucket | North Adams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,369Lowest |
75,893Highest |
12,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6 about the U.S. average |
37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.1±3.5Highest 13% above U.S. |
| North Adams 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North 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% |
22.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.8%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$68,310±$4kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$47,500±$7k 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31k 24% below U.S. |
$325,500±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
$195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 26% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
$793±$113Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408 9% above U.S. |
$4,115Highest 32% above U.S. |
$3,078Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±11 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and North Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
51% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Highest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI | #268 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | William E. Tolman High | Charles McCann Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.