What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).

Southbridge Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).

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	Southbridge Town
People
Population	10,048Lowest	17,928Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA	40.9±2.4Lowest about the MA average
	Ware and Southbridge Town 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%	21.9%±3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Southbridge Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9%	14.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24%Highest MA: 47.3%	19.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.2%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Southbridge Town 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±$15kHighest 35% below MA	$66,287±$8kLowest 36% below MA
	Ware and Southbridge Town 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	$294,800±$18kHighest 48% below MA
	Southbridge Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA	$1,256±$79Highest 29% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,237Lowest 29% below MA	$4,400Highest 27% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8%	55.8%±8.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Ware and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.8%Lowest MA: 10%	15.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	42.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest about the MA average	28 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6%	4.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#267 of 282 in MA	#282 of 282 in MA
School district	Ware	Southbridge
High school in town	Ware Junior/Senior High School	Southbridge High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.