Compare towns
Ware vs Barre vs Plainfield
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 (28 min average).
Barre has the highest household income ($108k).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Barre | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
5,572 |
616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
| Plainfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3 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+ | 20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.6% MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$107,727±$13kHighest 4% above MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$394,300±$55kHighest 30% below MA |
$309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
| Barre and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,292±$558Highest 27% 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 | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,163Highest 14% below MA |
$4,458 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% MA: 10% |
8.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
36 min 24% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Ware | Quabbin | — |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Quabbin Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.