Compare towns
Ware vs Plainfield vs Pomfret vs Athol
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 renters (27.7% rent).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Pomfret has the most expensive homes ($409k median).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
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 | Pomfret | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
15,141Highest |
4,317Lowest |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.9±3.7Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
| Pomfret and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Pomfret and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Athol 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% |
50.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$108,476±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$409,100±$28kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,210±$300Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Pomfret and Plainfield 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. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pomfret 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 | #39 of 149 in CT | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Plainfield School District | Pomfret School District | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Plainfield High School | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
10.3Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| 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.