Compare towns
Wells vs Ware vs Middletown Springs
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Middletown Springs has the most people working from home (15.7%).
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 | Wells | Ware | Middletown Springs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,148 |
10,048Highest |
747Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.7±5.2Highest 30% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1 26% above U.S. |
| Wells and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Middletown Springs and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middletown Springs and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,417±$11k 7% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$82,000±$12kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Middletown Springs and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$42kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$262,200±$24k 21% below U.S. |
| Ware and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$282Highest 7% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,208±$438 15% below U.S. |
| Wells and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,595Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.5%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest 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 | 15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middletown Springs 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 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | 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.