Compare towns
Ware vs Plainfield vs Oakham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Oakham has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
616Lowest |
1,639 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
| Plainfield and Oakham 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% |
19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1Lowest 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%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Oakham 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% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$102,000±$20kHighest about the MA average |
| Oakham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
$420,100±$20kHighest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
$1,174±$81 33% below MA |
| Plainfield and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$4,458Highest 26% below MA |
$4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest 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% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
38 min 30% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Ware | — | Quabbin |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.