Compare towns
Ware vs Smithfield vs Palmer Town
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 kids (19.1% under 18).
Smithfield has the most expensive homes ($446k median).
Palmer Town has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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.
| Measure | Ware | Smithfield | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
22,233Highest |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Palmer Town 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% |
16.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Smithfield 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% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$102,077±$8kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$271,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103Highest 24% below U.S. |
| Palmer Town and Ware 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. |
$5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
$4,540 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Smithfield 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% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Smithfield 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 | #8 of 38 in RI | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Smithfield | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Smithfield High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
11.8Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.