Compare towns
Warren vs Stow vs Ware vs Dudley
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).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Dudley has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Stow | Ware | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,009Lowest |
7,165 |
10,048 |
11,929Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Stow and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±8 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Warren 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Stow 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% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,082±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,700±$35k 41% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,530 24% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 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 |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #165 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quaboag Regional | Nashoba | Ware | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Quaboag Regional High | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
— | 11.1 |
14.3Highest |
| 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.