Compare towns
Ware vs Putnam vs Ware 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%).
Putnam has the highest household income ($71k).
Ware has the most homeowners (72.3%).
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 | Putnam | Ware | North Adams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369Lowest |
9,292 |
10,048 |
12,606Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
44.1±3.5Highest 13% above U.S. |
| North Adams and Putnam 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% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 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% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.8%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$47,500±$7k 41% below U.S. |
| Putnam 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. |
$269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Ware and Putnam 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. |
$1,149±$44Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$793±$113Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408 9% above U.S. |
$3,860 24% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% 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% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±11 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older 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 |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA | #268 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Putnam School District | Ware | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | Putnam High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Charles McCann Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Lowest |
11.1Highest |
10.6 |
| 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.