Compare towns
Ware vs Windsor Locks vs Ware 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).
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Ware has the most expensive homes ($290k 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 | Windsor Locks | Ware | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369Lowest |
12,579Highest |
10,048 |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Palmer Town 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Ware 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% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Palmer Town 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks 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. |
$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Windsor Locks 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. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$271,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Ware and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$3,688 18% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,540Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Windsor Locks School District | Ware | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | Windsor Locks High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9Lowest |
11.1Highest |
9.9 |
| 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.