Compare towns
Ware vs Andover vs Reading
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 ($290k median).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Reading has the oldest population (median age 51.1).
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 | Andover | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
616Lowest |
699 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1 26% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Reading and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$102,500±$38kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
| Andover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$382,900±$68kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
| Andover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,389±$364Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
| Andover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,190 66% above U.S. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover and Reading 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 | — | — |
| School district | Ware | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| 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 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.