Compare towns
Ware vs Maynard vs Dudley vs Palmer Town
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1960).
Maynard has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Dudley has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
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 | Maynard | Dudley | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
10,712 |
11,929 |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
| Palmer Town and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dudley 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 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Palmer Town 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% |
64.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$124,067±$16kHighest 19% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$527,400±$31kHighest 6% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,800±$148Highest about the MA average |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$1,075±$103 39% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$8,266Highest 38% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,540 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6 MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
75%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Maynard 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 | #166 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Maynard | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Maynard High | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
9.7Lowest |
14.3Highest |
9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.