Compare towns
Ware vs Whitingham vs Ware vs North Adams
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 people working from home (16.6%).
Whitingham has the most homeowners (85.2%).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
North Adams has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Whitingham | Ware | North Adams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
1,368Lowest |
10,048 |
12,606Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.4±7.1Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
44.1±3.5 13% above U.S. |
| Whitingham and North Adams 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% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Whitingham 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% |
31.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.8%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$70,625±$11kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$47,500±$7k 41% below U.S. |
| Whitingham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31k 24% below U.S. |
$262,300±$30k 21% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Ware and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 26% below U.S. |
$673±$150Lowest 52% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Highest 26% below U.S. |
$793±$113 44% below U.S. |
| Ware and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408 9% above U.S. |
$5,055Highest 62% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,078Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.7%±47.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±11 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% |
15.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
51%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware 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 | #268 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Ware | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | Twin Valley Middle High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Charles McCann Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.8Lowest |
11.1Highest |
10.6 |
| 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.