Compare towns
Dudley vs Ware vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dudley has the most expensive homes ($393k median).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 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 | Dudley | Ware | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,929 |
10,048Lowest |
17,551Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dudley and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
| Dudley and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
| Dudley and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Plainville 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 | #142 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Ware | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.4 |
| 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.