Compare towns
Webster vs Ware vs Upton vs Whitman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Whitman has the oldest housing (typical home built 1957).
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 | Upton | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
10,048 |
8,189Lowest |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
| Upton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Whitman 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 30% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
| Upton and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 22% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Ware | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.2 |
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| 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.