Compare towns
Ware vs Derby vs Plainfield vs Palmer Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most expensive homes ($290k median).
Derby has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Palmer Town has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Derby | Plainfield | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
12,487 |
15,141Highest |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
46.4±3.1 19% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
47.8±5.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Palmer Town and Derby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Derby and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Derby and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$79,500±$11kHighest about the U.S. average |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Derby and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$256,700±$21kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$271,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Ware and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,452±$95Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$5,510Highest 77% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,540 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.9%±12.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Derby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
61.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Derby and Ware 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 | #138 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Derby School District | Plainfield School District | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Derby High School | Plainfield High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
9.7Lowest |
10.3 |
9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.