Compare towns
Ware vs Sturbridge vs Palmer Town
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 renters (42.6% rent).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Palmer Town has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Sturbridge | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,369Lowest |
9,960 |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
| Palmer Town and Sturbridge 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% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Sturbridge 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%±3 MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Palmer Town and Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge 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 |
$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$425,800±$18kHighest 24% below MA |
$271,400±$21k 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,193±$398Highest 32% below MA |
$1,075±$103 39% below MA |
| Sturbridge and Palmer Town 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 |
$6,520Highest 9% above MA |
$4,540 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Palmer Town 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sturbridge 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
9.9Highest |
| 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.