Compare towns
Ware vs Millis vs Sutton 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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Millis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Millis | Sutton | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
8,888Lowest |
9,452 |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±3 16% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
| Palmer Town and Millis 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% |
18.4%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton 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% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Millis 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% MA: 47.3% |
54.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Millis 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 35% below MA |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
| Millis and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$603,500±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,696±$279Highest 4% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,075±$103 39% below MA |
| Millis and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$4,540 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Millis 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% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 5% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Millis 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 | #63 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Millis | Sutton | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Millis High School | Sutton High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
10.7 |
12.6Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.