Compare towns
Wells vs Ware vs Pawlet
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Pawlet has the most people working from home (20.4%).
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 | Pawlet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,148Lowest |
10,048Highest |
1,480 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.7±5.2Highest 30% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
47.9±7.5 23% above U.S. |
| Wells and Pawlet 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% |
20.3%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pawlet 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% |
27.3%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pawlet 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% |
37.5%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% |
4.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,417±$11kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$62,273±$14kLowest 23% 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 | $243,000±$42kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$266,200±$44k 20% below U.S. |
| Ware and Pawlet 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. |
$1,153±$215 18% below U.S. |
| Wells and Pawlet 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. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,924 26% 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% |
42.6%±21.3Lowest 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% |
10%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pawlet 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 | Mettawee School District #84 |
| 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.