Compare towns

Ware vs Ware vs Woonsocket 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 affordable homes ($253k median).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
West Brookfield has the highest household income ($96k).

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.

MeasureWareWareWoonsocketWest Brookfield
People
Population
6,369
10,048
43,521Highest
3,859Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
39.8±6
about the U.S. average
43.1±4.7
11% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
58.5±3.2Highest
50% above U.S.
Kids under 18
23.3%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.1%±3.5
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
13%±3.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
17.4%±3.9
U.S.: 17.2%
20.6%±3.4
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
35.9%±6.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
15.4%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
24%
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
34%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±2.2
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.2%±1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Woonsocket 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.
$67,475±$15k
16% below U.S.
$61,059±$5k
24% below U.S.
$95,613±$12kHighest
18% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$253,400±$31kLowest
24% below U.S.
$289,700±$28k
13% below U.S.
$311,000±$15k
7% below U.S.
$354,000±$21kHighest
6% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,039±$104Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,043±$109
26% below U.S.
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
$1,236±$271Highest
13% below U.S.
West Brookfield and Woonsocket 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.
$4,237
36% above U.S.
$3,960
27% above U.S.
$4,260Highest
37% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
64.5%±17.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
64.3%±16.2
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
30.3%±18.8Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
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%
U.S.: 12.5%
11.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
57.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
72.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
80.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1960
20 yrs older than U.S.
1952
28 yrs older than U.S.
1967Highest
13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
28 min
8% above U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
42 minHighest
58% above U.S.
Work from home
16.6%±5
U.S.: 15.1%
12.3%±3.8
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.9%±15Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
West Brookfield 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 #37 of 38 in RI #162 of 282 in MA
School district — Ware RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Quaboag Regional
High school in town — Ware Junior/Senior High School Woonsocket High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
11.1Lowest
15.2Highest
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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.