Compare towns
Ware vs Barre vs Putnam
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 (12.3%).
Barre has the highest household income ($108k).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
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 | Barre | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
5,572Lowest |
9,292 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5Highest 13% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
| Barre and Putnam 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% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barre and Ware 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. |
$107,727±$13kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$394,300±$55kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44Highest 19% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Barre 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% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Barre 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 | #134 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ware | Quabbin | Putnam School District |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Quabbin Regional High School | Putnam High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
12.9Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| 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.