Compare towns
Worcester vs Ware vs Stowe vs Elmore
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).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Elmore has the most homeowners (92.8%).
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 | Stowe | Elmore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831Lowest |
10,048Highest |
5,285 |
964 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.3±7.6 19% above U.S. |
45±3.5 16% 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%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±9.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Elmore and Stowe 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%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stowe and Ware 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% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Ware 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. |
$93,618±$33k 16% above U.S. |
$98,750±$24kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Elmore 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. |
$647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$315,800±$47k 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,458±$242Highest 3% above U.S. |
$1,225±$263 13% below U.S. |
| Stowe and Elmore 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. |
$7,161Highest 130% above U.S. |
$5,066 62% 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% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±65.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Elmore 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% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.3Lowest 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 | Stowe Town School District | Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District #90 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.3Highest |
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| 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.