What stands out worked out from the figures below

Deerfield has the most people working from home (17.5%).

Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Deerfield	Webster
People
Population	5,158Lowest	17,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Webster and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Deerfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9%	5.8%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Deerfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,136±$14kHighest about the MA average	$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$414,900±$37kHighest 26% below MA	$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,334±$318Highest 24% below MA	$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA
	Deerfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,824Highest about the MA average	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	45.7%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Webster and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Lowest MA: 10%	12.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA	1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 40% below MA	31 minHighest 5% above MA
Work from home	17.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6%	8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#156 of 282 in MA	#271 of 282 in MA
School district	Deerfield · Frontier	Webster
High school in town	Frontier Regional	Bartlett High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	11.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.