Compare towns
Oakham vs Plainfield vs Ware vs New Braintree
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
New Braintree has the most kids (20% under 18).
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 | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,639 |
616Lowest |
10,048Highest |
973 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% 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 |
47.8±4.6 20% 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%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Braintree and Ware 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%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and New Braintree 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% |
41.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,000±$20kHighest about the MA average |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$99,500±$8k 4% below MA |
| Oakham and New Braintree 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 |
$408,800±$27k 27% below MA |
| Oakham and New Braintree 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±$558 27% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,484±$316Highest 16% below MA |
| New Braintree and Plainfield 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 |
$5,508Highest 8% 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% |
51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and New Braintree 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% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6% MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 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 |
37 min 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Quabbin | — | Ware | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.