Compare towns
Dudley vs Plainfield vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dudley has the highest household income ($85k).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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.
| Measure | Dudley | Plainfield | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,929 |
1,314Lowest |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dudley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
| Dudley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
| Webster and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,999 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #142 of 282 in MA | — | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | — | Webster |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | — | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | 11.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.