Compare towns
Wendell vs Ware vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Wendell | Ware | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 850 |
10,048Highest |
616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±8.8 18% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.2% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,288±$14k 37% below MA |
$67,475±$15kHighest 35% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
| Ware and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,300±$31k 48% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$309,000±$47kHighest 45% below MA |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,239±$519 30% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,519Highest 25% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,458 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.6%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.3%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Wendell 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 | — |
| School district | New Salem-Wendell | Ware | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.