Compare towns
Ware vs Kingston vs Winchendon
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).
Kingston has the most expensive homes ($493k median).
Winchendon has the most kids (21.8% 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 | Kingston | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
6,275Lowest |
10,440Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Winchendon and Ware 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% |
24.7%±6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kingston and Ware 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% |
35.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Winchendon and Ware 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. |
$105,330±$12kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$75,690±$14k 6% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$492,900±$58kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$323,800±$19k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,393±$156Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,255±$163 11% below U.S. |
| Kingston and Winchendon 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. |
$7,906Highest 153% above U.S. |
$3,780Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Winchendon 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% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kingston 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 | #78 of 120 in NH | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Sanborn Regional School District | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Sanborn Regional High School | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.