Compare towns
Ware vs Putney vs Winchendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Putney has the most people working from home (16.9%).
Winchendon has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Putney | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
2,622Lowest |
10,440Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
39.6±1.9 about the U.S. average |
| Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Winchendon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
$75,690±$14k 6% below U.S. |
| Putney and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Winchendon and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$3,780Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putney 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.