Compare towns
Ware vs Lawrence vs New Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
New Salem has the most people working from home (19.4%).
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 | Lawrence | New Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
88,736Highest |
1,054Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
55.6±2.4Highest 39% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.5%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.7%±6.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| New Salem 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% MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence 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±$15k 35% below MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$79,688±$19kHighest 23% below MA |
| New Salem 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 |
$415,200±$23kHighest 26% below MA |
$359,000±$40k 36% below MA |
| Lawrence and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
$1,194±$88 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,509Highest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
86.7%±25.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
9.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest about the MA average |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
23 min 20% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.4%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| New Salem 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 | #278 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Ware | Lawrence | — |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Lawrence High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
13.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.