Compare towns
Ware vs Webster vs Webster vs Palmer Town
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 people working from home (12.3%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Webster has the most expensive homes ($362k median).
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 | Webster | Webster | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
12,228 |
17,748Highest |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
| Palmer Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Webster 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% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Palmer Town 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% MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Webster 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 35% below MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$78,480±$8kHighest 25% below MA |
| Palmer Town and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$361,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
$1,075±$103 39% below MA |
| Webster and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
$4,540Highest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6 MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
8.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Webster 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | — | Webster | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | Bartlett High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | 11.6Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.