What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).

Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ware	Ayer
People
Population	10,048Highest	3,098Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA	42.1±6.9Lowest 5% above MA
	Ware and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.8%±5.3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Ayer and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9%	15.3%±5.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Ware and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24%Lowest MA: 47.3%	37.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Ware and Ayer 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 35% below MA	$74,878±$17kHighest 28% below MA
	Ayer and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA	$444,600±$43kHighest 21% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA	$1,240±$169Highest 30% below MA
	Ayer and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,237Lowest 29% below MA	$4,911Highest 18% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8%	46.9%±21.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Ware and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.8%Highest MA: 10%	6.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA	1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	29 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Ayer 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	#113 of 282 in MA
School district	Ware	—
High school in town	Ware Junior/Senior High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA 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.