Compare towns
Ayer vs Plainfield vs Putnam vs Warren
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ayer has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).
Putnam has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Ayer | Plainfield | Putnam | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,098Lowest |
15,141Highest |
9,292 |
5,009 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±6.9 8% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
38.7±7.3 about the U.S. average |
| Putnam and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 15.3%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putnam and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,878±$17k 7% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$66,082±$6kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $444,600±$43kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$333,700±$35k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,240±$169Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$890±$174Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,911Highest 57% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,530 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ayer and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer 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 | #113 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #165 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Plainfield School District | Putnam School District | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | — | Plainfield High School | Putnam High School | Quaboag Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Highest |
9.5Lowest |
10.0 |
| 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.