Compare towns
Petersham vs Plainfield vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Petersham has the highest household income ($111k).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
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 | Petersham | Plainfield | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,185Lowest |
15,141Highest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.3±2.7Highest 45% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $110,750±$20kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,400±$20kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,679±$441Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Petersham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,636Highest 49% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Petersham 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 | — | #131 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Petersham | Plainfield School District | Ware |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| 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.