Compare towns
Ware vs Epping vs Palmer Town vs Dudley
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1960).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Dudley has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
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 | Epping | Palmer Town | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
7,430Lowest |
12,381Highest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Palmer Town and Epping 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% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Dudley 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% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Palmer Town 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% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$271,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19k 18% above U.S. |
| Epping and Dudley 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. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,075±$103 24% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Epping and Dudley 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. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$4,540 46% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #252 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Epping School District | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Epping High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
9.3Lowest |
9.9 |
14.3Highest |
| 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.