Compare towns
Ware vs Rowley vs Sutton
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).
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k median).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Rowley | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
6,251Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Rowley and Sutton 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% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Rowley 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% |
21.6%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley 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% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Ware 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 35% below MA |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Rowley 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 |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,603±$520Highest 9% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
| Rowley and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Rowley 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% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Triton | Sutton |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.