Compare towns
Worcester vs Ware vs St. George
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).
St. George has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
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 | St. George |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 831 |
10,048Highest |
812Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.7±13.4 15% above U.S. |
| Worcester and St. George 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% |
25.6%±7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. George and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Worcester 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% |
53.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and St. George 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. |
$109,464±$34kHighest 36% above U.S. |
| St. George and Worcester 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. |
$376,800±$50kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,394±$132Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421 42% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,514Highest 77% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
96%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. George and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| St. George 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 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| 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.