Compare towns
Warren vs Plainfield vs Ware vs West Brookfield
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
West Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,009 |
1,314Lowest |
10,048Highest |
3,859 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±7.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
58.5±3.2Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Warren and Ware 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% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
35.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,082±$6kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$95,613±$12kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| West Brookfield 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 |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$354,000±$21kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| West Brookfield and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $890±$174Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,236±$271Highest 13% below U.S. |
| West Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,530 45% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$4,260 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.7%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.3%±18.8 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 | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
42 minHighest 58% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±15Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| West Brookfield 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quaboag Regional | — | Ware | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | Quaboag Regional High | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
— |
| 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.