What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ware has the youngest population (median age 43.1).

Hawley has the most people working from home (19.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ware	Hawley
People
Population	10,048Highest	277Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA	56.8±7.2Highest 42% above MA
Kids under 18	19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%	17.7%±10Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Ware and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9%	37.2%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24%Lowest MA: 47.3%	39.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9%	2.2%±5.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Ware and Hawley 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 35% below MA	$87,500±$26kHighest 16% below MA
	Hawley and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA	$309,600±$38kHighest 45% below MA
	Hawley 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 41% below MA	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,237Highest 29% below MA	$4,097Lowest 32% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8%	50%±100Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Ware and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.8%Highest MA: 10%	7.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	94%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA	1963Highest 1 yr older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	31 minHighest 6% above MA
Work from home	12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.3%±12.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Hawley 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

MA 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.