Compare towns
Ware vs Upton vs Townsend
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 most affordable homes ($290k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Upton | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
8,189Lowest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend 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 35% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
| Upton and Townsend 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 |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 22% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Blackstone Valley | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.2 |
13.1Highest |
| 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.