Compare towns
Ware vs Webster vs Colebrook
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 (40.2% rent).
Colebrook has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Colebrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
17,748Highest |
1,494Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
52.1±5Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Colebrook 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster 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% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colebrook 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Colebrook 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. |
$72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$111,250±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$342,800±$19k 3% above U.S. |
| Webster and Colebrook 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. |
$1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,333±$626Highest 6% below U.S. |
| Colebrook and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$6,211Highest 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±55Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Webster 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% |
12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — |
| School district | Ware | Webster | Colebrook School District |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Bartlett High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.6Highest |
— |
| 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.