The Town FilesWare, Massachusetts
Town in Hampshire County · population 10,066 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $289,700
- Household income
- $67,475
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 43.1
Ware is a town of 10,066 people in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $289,700, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 82% of Massachusetts towns, easier by car than 76% of Massachusetts towns.
How Ware ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ware is worth $289,700, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $67,475, which is more affordable than 61% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,043 a month. 72.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ware | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $289,700 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,043 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $67,475 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 72.3% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Ware
| People | Ware | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.1 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.6% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.0% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.8% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.6% | — |
| Work from home | 12.3% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.4% | 93.9% |
Weather in Ware
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 15.4°F. About 47.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.0 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 143 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ware since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 3, 1970 about 6.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 2 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on October 23, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 26, 2019.
Severe weather in Hampshire County since 1996
Hampshire County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| April 19, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4110: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3350: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Hampshire County
Hampshire County had 65,786 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,006 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Ware itself the ACS puts it at 9.2%.
Public schools in Ware
3 public schools with 1,124 students, about 12.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ware Junior/Senior High School | 7-12 | 471 | 12.1 |
| Stanley M Koziol Elementary School | PK-3 | 389 | 13.9 |
| Ware Middle School | 4-6 | 264 | 12.6 |
Towns near Ware
- Ware, MA2.4 mi · 6,266 people · home $253,400
- Palmer Town, MA6.1 mi · 12,448 people · home $271,400
- Belchertown, MA6.2 mi · 15,350 people · home $371,300
- Hardwick, MA6.3 mi · 2,667 people · home $346,700
- Belchertown, MA6.3 mi · 3,129 people · home $346,900
- West Brookfield, MA6.4 mi · 3,833 people · home $354,000
- Warren, MA6.7 mi · 4,975 people · home $333,700
- Brimfield, MA10.9 mi · 3,694 people · home $389,100
Ware questions
Is Ware, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ware scores better for retirees than 12% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 37%. 20.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.1).
How much does a house cost in Ware?
The median owner-occupied home in Ware is valued at $289,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,475, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,043 a month.
What is the weather like in Ware?
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 15.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.5 inches of precipitation a year and 43.0 inches of snow.
Does Ware get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ware since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 3, 1970. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)