Compare towns
Plainfield vs Ware vs Hawley vs Leyden
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 renters (27.7% rent).
Hawley has the oldest population (median age 56.8).
Leyden has the highest household income ($106k).
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 | Hawley | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616 |
10,048Highest |
277Lowest |
637 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
— | +3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
56.8±7.2Highest 42% above MA |
53.2±8.2 33% above MA |
| Hawley and Leyden 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% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.7%±10 MA: 19.4% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Plainfield 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% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
37.2%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
28.6%±2.7 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
39.4% MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.2%±5.5 MA: 7.9% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest 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±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$87,500±$26k 16% below MA |
$105,893±$13kHighest about the MA average |
| Leyden and Hawley 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 |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$309,600±$38k 45% below MA |
$372,900±$24kHighest 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558 27% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
— | $1,917±$451Highest 9% above MA |
| Leyden and Plainfield 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 |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,097Lowest 32% below MA |
$4,651Highest 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
50%±100 MA: 51.8% |
42.9%±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% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94% MA: 62.5% |
93.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 6% above MA |
33 min 12% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±12.6 MA: 18.6% |
11%±5Lowest 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Ware | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | — |
| 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.