What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).

Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).

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	Rochester
People
Population	10,048Highest	1,389Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S.	53.3±7.6Highest 37% above U.S.
	Rochester and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%	10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	49%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S.	$72,676±$8kHighest 10% below U.S.
	Rochester and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S.	$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S.
	Ware and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,043±$109Highest 26% below U.S.	$929±$158Lowest 34% below U.S.
	Ware and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,237Highest 36% above U.S.	$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	62.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ware and Rochester 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%	18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S.	1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 8% above U.S.	27 minLowest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Rochester 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	—
School district	Ware	Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81
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

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.