Compare towns
Ware vs Rumney 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
New Salem has the most people working from home (19.4%).
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 | Rumney | New Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
1,458 |
1,054Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.5±2.3 14% above U.S. |
55.6±2.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Rumney 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% |
24.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±6.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rumney 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% |
41.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Rumney 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 16% below U.S. |
$79,444±$21k about the U.S. average |
$79,688±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
| New Salem and Rumney 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. |
$309,800±$37k 7% below U.S. |
$359,000±$40kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| New Salem and Rumney 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. |
$1,064±$100 25% below U.S. |
$1,194±$88Highest 15% below U.S. |
| New Salem and Rumney 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. |
$4,716Highest 51% above U.S. |
$4,509 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.1%±21.3Lowest 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% |
10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Salem and Rumney 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 | Rumney School District | — |
| 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 |
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.