Compare towns
Ware vs Shirley vs Ware
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 kids (23.3% under 18).
Shirley has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Shirley | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,369Lowest |
6,976 |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
44.3±3.4Highest 11% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Shirley 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 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Shirley 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% |
36.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley 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 |
$122,365±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$427,600±$36kHighest 24% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,481±$421Highest 16% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Shirley 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 |
$5,156Highest 14% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.1%±21.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 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% |
9.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
40 minHighest 39% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
21%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Shirley 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 | #239 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ayer Shirley School District | Ware |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.