Compare towns
Ware vs Walpole vs New Salem
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
New Salem has the most people working from home (19.4%).
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 | Walpole | New Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
3,690 |
1,054Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
55.6±2.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
| New Salem and Walpole 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% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±6.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walpole and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Walpole 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. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$79,688±$19k about the U.S. average |
| Walpole and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$359,000±$40kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| New Salem and Walpole 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. |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
$1,194±$88Highest 15% below U.S. |
| New Salem and Walpole 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. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$4,509 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
86.7%±25.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| New Salem and Ware 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% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Salem and Ware 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 | #27 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Ware | Fall Mountain Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.