Compare towns
Ware vs Chaplin vs Pomfret 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 youngest population (median age 43.1).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Pomfret has the most expensive homes ($409k median).
Palmer Town has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Chaplin | Pomfret | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
2,070Lowest |
4,317 |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
45.9±3.7 18% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Palmer Town and Pomfret 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% |
15.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pomfret 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Pomfret 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. |
$97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$108,476±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Pomfret and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$409,100±$28kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$271,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,210±$300 14% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103 24% below U.S. |
| Chaplin and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$4,524 45% above U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
$4,540 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Pomfret 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% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.2%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chaplin and Pomfret 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 149 in CT | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Pomfret School District | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Parish Hill High School | None in town | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
7.5Lowest |
— | 9.9 |
| 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.