Compare towns
Webster vs Ware vs Chaplin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most expensive homes ($362k median).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Webster | Ware | Chaplin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
10,048 |
2,070Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Chaplin and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$97,846±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Chaplin and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,524Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chaplin 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Webster | Ware | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Parish Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.1 |
7.5Lowest |
| 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.