Compare towns
Ware vs Plainfield vs Orange vs West Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
West Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Ware | Plainfield | Orange | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,369 |
616Lowest |
7,573Highest |
3,859 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
58.5±3.2Highest 46% above MA |
| West Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
13%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
35.9%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| West Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7% MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±1Lowest 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 | $45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$63,500±$14k 39% below MA |
$55,824±$10k 46% below MA |
$95,613±$12kHighest 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31k 55% below MA |
$309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$354,000±$21kHighest 37% below MA |
| West Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,236±$271 30% below MA |
| Plainfield and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,458Highest 26% below MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
$4,260 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9 MA: 51.8% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.1% MA: 10% |
16.9% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
8.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70% MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
38 min 30% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±15 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and West Brookfield 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 | — | #275 of 282 in MA | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | — | — | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.