Compare towns
Ware vs Ware vs Dover
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).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k 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 | Ware | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,369 |
10,048Highest |
5,930Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
| Dover and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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 MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover 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 |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
| Dover 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 |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest 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% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ware | Dover · Dover-Sherborn |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Dover-Sherborn Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.