Compare towns
Ware vs Guildhall vs New Salem
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 renters (27.7% rent).
Guildhall has the highest household income ($115k).
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 | Guildhall | New Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
371Lowest |
1,054 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
42.6±7.8Lowest 10% above U.S. |
55.6±2.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±7.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Guildhall and Ware 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% |
26.1%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±6.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Guildhall and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and New Salem 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. |
$115,000±$46kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$79,688±$19k about the U.S. average |
| Guildhall 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 13% below U.S. |
$321,200±$62k 3% below U.S. |
$359,000±$40kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| New Salem and Guildhall 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. |
$850±$717Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,194±$88Highest 15% below U.S. |
| 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 36% above U.S. |
$4,625Highest 48% above U.S. |
$4,509 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
75%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
86.7%±25.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| New Salem and Guildhall 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% |
11.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Salem 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 | — | — |
| School district | Ware | — | — |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.