Compare towns
Ware vs Townsend vs Winchendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Winchendon has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Townsend | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
9,100Lowest |
10,440Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Ware and Townsend 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%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Winchendon and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Winchendon 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 35% below MA |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$75,690±$14k 27% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$323,800±$19k 42% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$1,255±$163 29% below MA |
| Townsend and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$3,780Lowest 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.7%±17.6 MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
8.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
18.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
76.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Winchendon 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | North Middlesex | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | North Middlesex Regional | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
13.1Highest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.