Compare towns
Wells vs Ware vs Walden
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 kids (19.1% under 18).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,148 |
10,048Highest |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.7±5.2Highest 30% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% 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%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Walden 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. |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Walden 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±$42k 27% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23kLowest 28% 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 | $1,313±$282Highest 7% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% 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 | $3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,944 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% |
56.3%±86.8Lowest 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% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| 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.