Compare towns
Ware vs Brooklyn 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%).
Brooklyn has the highest household income ($96k).
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 | Brooklyn | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
8,517Lowest |
9,292 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% 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%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn 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. |
$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Ware 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. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44Highest 19% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Brooklyn 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. |
$4,538Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Brooklyn 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% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Brooklyn 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 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ware | Brooklyn School District | Putnam School District |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Putnam High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | 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.