Compare towns
Ware vs Sterling vs Winchendon
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Winchendon has the most expensive homes ($324k median).
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 | Sterling | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
3,629Lowest |
10,440Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.6±1.9 about the U.S. average |
| Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Winchendon 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. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$75,690±$14k 6% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Winchendon 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 26% below U.S. |
— | $1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,551Highest 46% above U.S. |
$3,780Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Sterling 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Sterling School District | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.