Compare towns
Ware vs Plainfield vs Dudley 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 the most people working from home (16.4%).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
Winchendon has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Dudley | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
1,314Lowest |
11,929Highest |
10,440 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Winchendon and Dudley 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% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield 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% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$75,690±$14k 6% below U.S. |
| Dudley and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$323,800±$19k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Dudley 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. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,780 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Ware 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% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 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 | — | #142 of 282 in MA | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.