Compare towns
Ware vs Hampton vs Palmer Town vs Orange
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Hampton has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Orange has the most kids (22.2% 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 | Hampton | Palmer Town | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
1,647Lowest |
12,381Highest |
7,573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
51.5±5.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6 23% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2Lowest 7% 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%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Hampton 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% |
26.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.3%±3.1Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%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% |
2%±0.9 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±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$109,167±$19kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$295,800±$27kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$271,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% 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±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,285±$288Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103 24% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% 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 | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,364 40% above U.S. |
$4,540Highest 46% above U.S. |
$4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±51.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%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. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest 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 | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Hampton School District | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Pathfinder Vocational Technical | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | 9.9 |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.