Compare towns
Ware vs New Salem vs Dudley
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).
New Salem has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | New Salem | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
1,054Lowest |
11,929Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
55.6±2.4Highest 39% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
14.5%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Highest 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% |
23.7%±6.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$79,688±$19k 23% below MA |
$84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
| Dudley and New Salem 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 |
$359,000±$40k 36% below MA |
$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
| Dudley 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 |
$1,194±$88 32% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
| Dudley and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$4,509Highest 25% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
86.7%±25.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
9.7% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest about the MA average |
23 minLowest 20% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
19.4%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest 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 | — | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.