Compare towns
Ware vs Hampton Beach 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 kids (19.1% under 18).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
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 | Hampton Beach | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
2,605Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6 23% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Palmer Town 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% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Palmer Town 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. |
$82,557±$17kHighest about the U.S. average |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Hampton Beach 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±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$271,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,375±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,075±$103 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,540 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Hampton Beach 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% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | — | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | — | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | 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 |
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.