Compare towns
Ware vs Hampton 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).
Hampton has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
1,647Lowest |
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. |
51.5±5.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6 23% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Palmer Town 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% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest 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% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton 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% |
29.9%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% |
1.9%±1.1Lowest 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. |
$109,167±$19kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$295,800±$27kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$271,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Ware 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. |
$1,075±$103 24% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Palmer Town 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. |
$4,540Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±51.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Palmer Town 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton 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 | — | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Hampton School District | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | 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.