Compare towns
Oakham vs Plainfield vs Ware vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oakham has the most expensive homes ($420k median).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Barre has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
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 | Oakham | Plainfield | Ware | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,639 |
616Lowest |
10,048Highest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3 23% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
| Plainfield and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,000±$20k about the MA average |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$107,727±$13kHighest 4% above MA |
| Barre and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,100±$20kHighest 25% below MA |
$309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$394,300±$55k 30% below MA |
| Oakham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81 33% below MA |
$1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
| Plainfield and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
$4,458 26% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$5,163Highest 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
8.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6% MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
38 min 30% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
36 min 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | — | Ware | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.