Compare towns
Wendell vs Ware vs New Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
New Braintree has the highest household income ($100k).
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 | Wendell | Ware | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 850Lowest |
10,048Highest |
973 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±8.8 18% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
47.8±4.6Highest 20% above MA |
| New Braintree and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Braintree and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| New Braintree and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wendell and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,288±$14kLowest 37% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$99,500±$8kHighest 4% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,300±$31k 48% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$408,800±$27kHighest 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,239±$519 30% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,484±$316Highest 16% below MA |
| New Braintree and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,519 25% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,508Highest 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.6%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.3%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wendell 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 | New Salem-Wendell | Ware | Quabbin |
| 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 Our Story | 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.