Compare towns
Ware vs Westminster 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 youngest population (median age 43.1).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
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 | Westminster | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
8,374Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
47.8±5.6 20% above MA |
| Westminster and Palmer Town 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% |
21.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Westminster and Ware 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% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster 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% MA: 47.3% |
45.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| 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±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$106,331±$22kHighest about the MA average |
$78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
| Westminster 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 48% below MA |
$422,000±$36kHighest 25% below MA |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
$1,075±$103 39% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,973Highest 17% below MA |
$4,540 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Westminster 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 | #112 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Ashburnham-Westminster | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Oakmont Regional High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
13.6Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.