Compare towns
Washington vs Ware vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Washington has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Washington | Ware | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,056Lowest |
10,048Highest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.9±5.1Highest 36% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2 30% above U.S. |
| Washington and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,103±$8kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$75,417±$11kHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Wells and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$37kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42k 27% below U.S. |
| Ware and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $996±$285Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,313±$282Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Wells and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,485 12% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.5%±63.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Washington 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 | — |
| School district | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Ware | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.