Compare towns
Ware vs Windham 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 kids (23.3% under 18).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
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 | Windham | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,369 |
594Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Palmer Town and Windham 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% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Windham 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% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Palmer Town 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Palmer Town 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. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Windham 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. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$271,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
— | $1,075±$103Highest 24% below U.S. |
| Palmer Town and Ware 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. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,540 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | — | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | — | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.