Compare towns
Worthington vs Ware vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worthington has the most people working from home (28.2%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Chester has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
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 | Worthington | Ware | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,021Lowest |
10,048Highest |
1,240 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 61.6±3.6Highest 54% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
45.9±3.7 15% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±8.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Chester and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.5%±5.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
16.5%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
27.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,667±$17kHighest 12% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$89,390±$6k 14% below MA |
| Worthington and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $380,400±$26kHighest 32% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$281,900±$14kLowest 50% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $633±$220Lowest 64% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,104±$71Highest 37% below MA |
| Chester and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,443Highest 9% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,522 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.5%±63 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.1%±22.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Worthington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 41% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.2%±12.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
7%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Worthington 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 | Worthington | Ware | Gateway |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.