Compare towns
Ware vs Thompson vs Sutton 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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Sutton has the most expensive homes ($523k median).
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Thompson | Sutton | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
9,337Lowest |
9,452 |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6 23% above U.S. |
| Thompson and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson 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% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Sutton 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. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$271,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401Highest 16% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103 24% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Palmer Town 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. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$4,540 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Thompson 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% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT | #105 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Thompson School District | Sutton | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Sutton High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
7.9Lowest |
12.6Highest |
9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.