Compare towns
Ware vs Castleton vs Braintree vs Palmer Town
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 expensive homes ($290k median).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Palmer Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
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 | Castleton | Braintree | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
4,453 |
1,026Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6 23% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Castleton 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% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the U.S. average |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Braintree and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$271,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Ware and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103 24% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Palmer Town 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. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
$4,540Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | — | 9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.