Compare towns
Plainfield vs Ware vs Warren vs Hawley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Warren has the most expensive homes ($334k median).
Hawley has the highest household income ($88k).
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 | Plainfield | Ware | Warren | Hawley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616 |
6,369Highest |
5,009 |
277Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
39.8±6 about the MA average |
38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
56.8±7.2Highest 42% above MA |
| Hawley and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±8 MA: 19.4% |
17.7%±10Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
37.2%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hawley and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.2% MA: 47.3% |
39.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.2%±5.5Lowest 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 | $63,500±$14k 39% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$66,082±$6k 36% below MA |
$87,500±$26kHighest 16% below MA |
| Hawley and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$333,700±$35kHighest 41% below MA |
$309,600±$38k 45% below MA |
| Warren and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
$1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
— |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458 26% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,530Highest 24% below MA |
$4,097 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
14.1% MA: 10% |
9% MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
64.5% MA: 62.5% |
94% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±12.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Hawley 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #165 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | — | Quaboag Regional | — |
| High school in town | — | — | Quaboag Regional High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
— |
| 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.