Compare towns
Ware vs Reading vs Dudley vs Winchendon
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).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
Winchendon has the youngest population (median age 39.6).
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 | Reading | Dudley | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
25,612Highest |
11,929 |
10,440 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Reading and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Winchendon 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$75,690±$14k 27% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$323,800±$19k 42% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$1,255±$163 29% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$3,780 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
61.7%±17.6 MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
18.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
76.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
31 min 6% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.