Compare towns
Ware vs Whitman vs Woonsocket vs Belchertown
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 affordable homes ($290k median).
Whitman has the most expensive homes ($473k median).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Belchertown has the most homeowners (87.1%).
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 | Whitman | Woonsocket | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
15,295 |
43,521Highest |
15,393 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
40.4±1.8 4% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.9±1.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Belchertown and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Whitman 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% |
15.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Belchertown 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Belchertown and Whitman 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. |
$108,933±$14kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$108,068±$15k 34% above U.S. |
| Whitman and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$472,700±$12kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$371,300±$12k 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,292±$230 9% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,810 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±13.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Whitman 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% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Belchertown 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 | #191 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Whitman-Hanson | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Woonsocket High School | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 15.2Highest |
11.9 |
| 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.