Compare towns
Ware vs Tunbridge vs Ware vs Palmer Town
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 renters (42.6% rent).
Tunbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Tunbridge | Ware | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
1,253Lowest |
10,048 |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.7±8.3 10% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Palmer Town 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% |
21.1%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Tunbridge 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% |
20.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest 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. |
$89,464±$26kHighest 11% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Tunbridge and Palmer Town 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. |
$315,300±$23kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$271,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Tunbridge and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,346±$128Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,645Highest 49% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,540 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Tunbridge 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% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.8%±8.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Tunbridge 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | First Branch Unified School District #82 | Ware | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.