Compare towns
Ware vs Berkley vs New Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Berkley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
New Salem has the most people working from home (19.4%).
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 | Berkley | New Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
6,829 |
1,054Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
43.4±4.1 9% above MA |
55.6±2.4Highest 39% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±5.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.5%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Berkley and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
15.2%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.7%±6.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| New Salem and Ware 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% |
37.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Berkley 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 35% below MA |
$144,205±$49kHighest 39% above MA |
$79,688±$19k 23% below MA |
| Berkley and New Salem 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 |
$511,200±$45kHighest 9% below MA |
$359,000±$40k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
— | $1,194±$88Highest 32% below MA |
| New Salem 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 |
$6,018Highest about the MA average |
$4,509 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
86.7%±25.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| New Salem 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 MA: 10% |
2.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest about the MA average |
27 min 6% below MA |
23 minLowest 20% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.4%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| New Salem and Berkley 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 | #155 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Ware | Berkley | — |
| 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 |
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.