Compare towns
Adams vs Plainfield vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Adams has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
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 | Adams | Plainfield | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,074Lowest |
15,141Highest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.3±3.3Highest 22% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Adams and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Adams and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,929±$6kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,900±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Ware and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$74Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,638Lowest 17% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Plainfield 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 | #230 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hoosac Valley Regional | Plainfield School District | Ware |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| 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.