Compare towns
Ware vs Hampton 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).
Hampton has the highest household income ($109k).
New Salem has the most expensive homes ($359k 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 | New Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
1,647 |
1,054Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
51.5±5.3 32% above U.S. |
55.6±2.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
| New Salem and Hampton 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% |
19.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampton 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%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±6.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton 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% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.1Lowest 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. |
$109,167±$19kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$79,688±$19k about the U.S. average |
| Hampton 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. |
$295,800±$27k 11% below U.S. |
$359,000±$40kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| New Salem and Hampton 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. |
$1,285±$288Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,194±$88 15% below U.S. |
| Hampton and New Salem 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. |
$4,364 40% above U.S. |
$4,509Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±51.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
86.7%±25.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| New Salem 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% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Salem and Hampton 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 | Hampton School District | — |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | — |
| 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.