Compare towns
Ware vs Reading vs Windham vs New Salem
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 the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
New Salem has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Windham | New Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
699 |
594Lowest |
1,054 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
55.6±2.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
| New Salem and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±6.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Reading 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 16% below U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$79,688±$19k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Reading 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. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$359,000±$40k 8% above U.S. |
| Reading 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 26% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
— | $1,194±$88Highest 15% below U.S. |
| New Salem and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,509 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
86.7%±25.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Windham 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — | — |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.