What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most kids (19.4% under 18).

Wareham has the most expensive homes ($425k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plainfield	Wareham
People
Population	15,141Lowest	23,302Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+6.8% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.	52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%	13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	26.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	27.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S.	$90,383±$11kHighest 12% above U.S.
	Wareham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.	$424,500±$21kHighest 28% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,504±$180Highest 6% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S.	$4,341Highest 39% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51.4%±23.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Wareham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	28 minHighest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	12.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wareham and Plainfield 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	#272 of 282 in MA
School district	Plainfield School District	Wareham
High school in town	Plainfield High School	Wareham Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Highest	8.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.