Compare towns
North Adams 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
North Adams has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).
Webster has the most expensive homes ($362k median).
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 | North Adams | Plainfield | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,606Lowest |
15,141 |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±3.5Highest 13% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
| North Adams and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9Highest 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+ | 21.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Adams and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.8%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,500±$7kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $793±$113Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
| Webster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,078Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,209Highest 35% above U.S. |
$3,999 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.7%±11Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and North Adams 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 | #268 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical | Plainfield School District | Webster |
| High school in town | Charles McCann Vocational Technical | Plainfield High School | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
10.3Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| 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.