Compare towns
Ware vs Townshend vs Ware vs West Brookfield
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 kids (23.3% under 18).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
West Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
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 | Townshend | Ware | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
1,538Lowest |
10,048Highest |
3,859 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
55.6±9.6 43% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
58.5±3.2Highest 50% above U.S. |
| West Brookfield and Townshend 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% |
12%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
13%±3.8 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% |
19.3%±6.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
35.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware 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 44% below U.S. |
$78,750±$29k about the U.S. average |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$95,613±$12kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| West Brookfield and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$287,200±$79k 14% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$354,000±$21kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,074±$80 24% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,236±$271Highest 13% below U.S. |
| West Brookfield and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$5,364Highest 72% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,260 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townshend 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
42 minHighest 58% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±18.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±15 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townshend and West Brookfield 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Ware | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | — | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.1Lowest |
11.1Highest |
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| 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.