Compare towns
Ware vs Plainfield vs Hardwick vs New Salem
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1960).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Hardwick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
New Salem has the most people working from home (19.4%).
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 | Hardwick | New Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
15,141Highest |
2,684 |
1,054Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
55.6±2.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
| New Salem and Hardwick 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% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±6.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Salem and Hardwick 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick 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. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$75,000±$22k 7% below U.S. |
$79,688±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
| New Salem and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$346,700±$67k 4% above U.S. |
$359,000±$40kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| New Salem and Hardwick 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. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,108±$119 22% below U.S. |
$1,194±$88 15% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$4,509Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
86.7%±25.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| New Salem and Ware 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% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Salem 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #163 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Ware | Plainfield School District | Quabbin | — |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Plainfield High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.