Compare towns
Warren vs Palmer Town vs Ware
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 expensive homes ($334k median).
Palmer Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
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 | Palmer Town | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,009Lowest |
12,381Highest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% 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 | 20.8%±8Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Warren and Ware 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% |
20.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 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+ | 23.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.5% MA: 47.3% |
24%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest 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 | $66,082±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$78,480±$8kHighest 25% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Palmer Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,700±$35kHighest 41% below MA |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Warren and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,075±$103Highest 39% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Palmer Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,530 24% below MA |
$4,540Highest 24% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% MA: 10% |
8.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.4 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Warren 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 | #252 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quaboag Regional | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical | Ware |
| High school in town | Quaboag Regional High | Pathfinder Vocational Technical | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
9.9Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.