Compare towns
Ware vs Vershire 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).
Vershire has the most affordable homes ($209k median).
Palmer Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
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 | Vershire | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
842Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.7±9.3 17% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Palmer Town and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Vershire 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% |
31.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Vershire 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. |
$71,618±$12k 11% below U.S. |
$78,480±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Palmer Town and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$209,100±$55kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$271,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Ware and Palmer Town 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. |
$1,117±$80Highest 21% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103 24% below U.S. |
| Vershire and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$4,640Highest 49% above U.S. |
$4,540 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
77.8%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Vershire and Ware 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% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs 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 23% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±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 | — | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | — | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.