Compare towns
Ware vs Warren vs Windham 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1960).
Warren has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Palmer Town has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Warren | Windham | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
5,009 |
594Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
38.7±7.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Palmer Town and Windham 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% |
20.8%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Warren 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% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham 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% |
23.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%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%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$66,082±$6kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$333,700±$35k about the U.S. average |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$271,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Windham and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$890±$174Lowest 37% below U.S. |
— | $1,075±$103Highest 24% below U.S. |
| Palmer Town and Ware 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. |
$4,530 45% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,540 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Palmer Town 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% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | #165 of 282 in MA | — | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Quaboag Regional | — | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Quaboag Regional High | — | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
10.0 |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| 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.