Compare towns
Ware vs Plainfield vs Winchendon
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 affordable homes ($290k median).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
2,522Lowest |
10,440Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.6±1.9 about the U.S. average |
| Ware and Winchendon 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Winchendon 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% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Plainfield 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% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Winchendon 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. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$75,690±$14k 6% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$323,800±$19k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,255±$163 11% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$3,780Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Winchendon 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Plainfield School District | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.