Compare towns
Westfield vs Ware vs Troy vs Lowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westfield has the most people working from home (14.4%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Troy has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
Lowell has the youngest population (median age 32.9).
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 | Westfield | Ware | Troy | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 536Lowest |
10,048Highest |
1,749 |
1,070 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±19.9 13% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
44.5±5.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
32.9±6.5Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Troy and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.1%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
30.7%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lowell and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±11.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,500±$30k 10% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$87,938±$11kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$57,404±$15kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Troy and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,400±$47kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$233,200±$21k 30% below U.S. |
$183,400±$33kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Westfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$187 39% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Highest 26% below U.S. |
$646±$323Lowest 54% below U.S. |
$945±$46 33% below U.S. |
| Ware and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,388Highest 41% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,644 17% above U.S. |
$2,810Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.8%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.3%±92.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
55 minHighest 109% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.4%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.8%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westfield 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 | — | Ware | Troy School District | Lowell School District |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.