Compare towns
Orange vs Plainfield vs Ware vs Winchendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Winchendon has the highest household income ($76k).
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 | Orange | Plainfield | Ware | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,314Lowest |
10,048 |
10,440Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Winchendon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$75,690±$14kHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Winchendon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 33% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,780Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Ware 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — | Ware | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.1 |
11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.