Compare towns
Warren vs Lancaster vs Ware vs West Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warren has the most renters (35.5% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
West Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.5).
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 | Warren | Lancaster | Ware | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,009 |
8,606 |
10,048Highest |
3,859Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
58.5±3.2Highest 46% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
13%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Warren and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
35.9%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,082±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$95,613±$12k 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,700±$35k 41% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$354,000±$21k 37% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,236±$271 30% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,530 24% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,260 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
30.3%±18.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±15 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and West Brookfield 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 | #165 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quaboag Regional | Nashoba | Ware | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | Quaboag Regional High | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.