Compare towns
Ware vs Ware vs Pelham
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).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
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 | Ware | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,369 |
10,048Highest |
1,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
45±8.4Highest 13% above MA |
| Pelham 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Pelham 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham 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% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 57% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$113,750±$24kHighest 9% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$447,600±$33kHighest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,205±$560Highest 32% below MA |
| Pelham 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 |
$7,472Highest 25% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2Lowest 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% |
10.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
79.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Ware | Pelham |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.