Compare towns
Ware vs Wendell vs Whately
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 renters (27.7% rent).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Whately has the highest household income ($117k).
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 | Wendell | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
850Lowest |
1,499 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
47.1±8.8 18% above MA |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
| Whately and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Whately and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
51.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wendell and Ware 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 |
$65,288±$14kLowest 37% below MA |
$116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$290,300±$31k 48% below MA |
$431,500±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,239±$519Highest 30% below MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
| Wendell and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,519 25% below MA |
$5,027Highest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.6%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% MA: 10% |
21.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.8%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Whately and Wendell 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 | — | — |
| School district | Ware | New Salem-Wendell | Whately |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.