Compare towns
Whately vs Ware vs Deerfield vs Williamsburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Williamsburg has the most people working from home (26.5%).
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 | Whately | Ware | Deerfield | Williamsburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,499Lowest |
10,048Highest |
5,158 |
2,694 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.3±6.7 23% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
50±2.4 25% above MA |
| Deerfield and Williamsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Williamsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Whately and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
60.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±2.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Williamsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$106,136±$14k about the MA average |
$104,792±$21k about the MA average |
| Whately and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,500±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
$403,100±$37k 28% below MA |
| Whately and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,334±$318 24% below MA |
$1,420±$228Highest 19% below MA |
| Williamsburg and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,027 16% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
$5,761 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.7%±29 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61%±28 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Williamsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
78.4% MA: 62.5% |
82.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 21% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
18 minLowest 40% below MA |
25 min 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
26.5%±6.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Williamsburg and Whately 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Whately | Ware | Deerfield · Frontier | Williamsburg |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Frontier Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.