Compare towns
Douglas vs Plainfield vs Windsor vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
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 | Douglas | Plainfield | Windsor | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207 |
616Lowest |
1,065 |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 10% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Plainfield and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.6%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.5% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$115,563±$10k 11% above MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$389,700±$32k 31% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,292±$558 27% below MA |
— | $1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA |
| Douglas and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Highest 6% above MA |
$4,458 26% below MA |
$3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Webster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
96.2% MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
37 min 27% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Windsor 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | — | — | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | — | — | Webster |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | — | — | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
— | — | 11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.