Compare towns
Worcester vs Ware vs Calais vs Stowe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Calais has the most homeowners (92.4%).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Worcester | Ware | Calais | Stowe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831Lowest |
10,048Highest |
1,713 |
5,285 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
46.3±7.6 19% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stowe and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$100,625±$27kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$93,618±$33k 16% above U.S. |
| Calais and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
$1,458±$242Highest 3% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421 42% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$6,586 111% above U.S. |
$7,161Highest 130% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stowe and Worcester 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Ware | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Stowe Town School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Stowe High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
| 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.