Compare towns
Webster vs Ware vs Plainfield vs North Adams
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most expensive homes ($333k median).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($77k).
North Adams has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Webster | Ware | Plainfield | North Adams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
10,048Lowest |
15,141Highest |
12,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1 4% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.1±3.5Highest 13% above U.S. |
| North Adams and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Adams and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.8%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8k 21% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$47,500±$7kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14kHighest about the U.S. average |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$793±$113Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234 4% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,078Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±11 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and North Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.5 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #268 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ware | Plainfield School District | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Plainfield High School | Charles McCann Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
10.3Lowest |
10.6 |
| 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.