Compare towns
Warren vs Plainfield vs Ware vs Dudley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warren has the most renters (35.5% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Dudley has the most expensive homes ($393k 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 | Warren | Plainfield | Ware | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,009Lowest |
15,141Highest |
10,048 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±7.3 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
| Ware and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Warren and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,082±$6kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Dudley and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,700±$35k about the U.S. average |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $890±$174Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182Highest 14% below U.S. |
| Dudley and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,530Highest 45% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.7%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Plainfield 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 | #165 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quaboag Regional | Plainfield School District | Ware | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Quaboag Regional High | Plainfield High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
10.3 |
11.1 |
14.3Highest |
| 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.