What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).

Monroe has the most affordable homes ($165k 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.

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

Measure	Ware	Monroe
People
Population	10,048Highest	122Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA	60.2±9.9Highest 51% above MA
Kids under 18	19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%	16.4%±28Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Ware and Monroe 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%	31.1%±27.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Monroe 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%Highest MA: 47.3%	19.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	9%±18.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Monroe 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	—
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$289,700±$28kHighest 48% below MA	$165,000±$141kLowest 71% below MA
	Ware and Monroe 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	$2,053Lowest 66% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8%	0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Ware and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.8%Lowest MA: 10%	38.5%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	75.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	56 minHighest 93% above MA
Work from home	12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6%	0%±41.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Ware and Monroe 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.