Compare towns
Ware vs Webster vs Killingly vs Winchendon
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 most people working from home (12.3%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Killingly has the highest household income ($84k).
Winchendon has the most homeowners (76.6%).
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 | Webster | Killingly | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
12,228 |
17,867Highest |
10,440 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
39.6±1.9 about the U.S. average |
| Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Killingly 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. |
$63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$75,690±$14k 6% below U.S. |
| Killingly and Winchendon 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. |
$333,100±$14kHighest about the U.S. average |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19k about the U.S. average |
| Webster and Winchendon 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. |
$1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141 26% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$3,922 26% above U.S. |
$3,780 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | Killingly High School | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
11.3Highest |
| 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.