Compare towns
Hawley vs Wareham vs Plainfield vs Middlefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has the most expensive homes ($425k median).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Middlefield has the highest household income ($104k).
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 | Hawley | Wareham | Plainfield | Middlefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 277Lowest |
23,302Highest |
616 |
352 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
-26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.8±7.2 42% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
50.6±9.5Lowest 27% above MA |
56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
| Middlefield and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±10 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 37.2%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
28.7%±8.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Hawley and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.4% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±5.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±4.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,500±$26k 16% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$103,750±$23kHighest about the MA average |
| Middlefield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,600±$38k 45% below MA |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$332,800±$48k 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
$2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
| Middlefield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,097Lowest 32% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$4,458 26% below MA |
$4,926Highest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±100 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Middlefield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
12.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
94.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±12.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.2%±9.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Hawley 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 | — | #272 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Wareham | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Wareham Senior High | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.