Compare towns
Ware vs Worcester 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%).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Palmer Town has the highest household income ($78k).
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 | Worcester | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
207,055Highest |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
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% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Worcester 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 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest 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% |
35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$78,480±$8kHighest 25% below MA |
| Palmer Town and Worcester 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 |
$374,400±$7kHighest 33% below MA |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
$1,075±$103 39% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,733Highest 21% below MA |
$4,540 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Worcester 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | South High Community | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
14.6Highest |
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.