Compare towns
Ware vs Plainfield vs Pomfret 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1960).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Pomfret has the most expensive homes ($409k median).
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 | Plainfield | Pomfret | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
15,141Highest |
4,317Lowest |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.9±3.7 18% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Palmer Town and Pomfret 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% |
23.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pomfret 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% |
17.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Palmer Town 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5% 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% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest 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. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$271,400±$21kLowest 18% 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. |
$1,075±$103 24% 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. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
$4,540 46% 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% |
52.9%±10.6 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 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 |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest 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 | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Plainfield School District | Pomfret School District | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Plainfield High School | None in town | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
10.3 |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| 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.