Compare towns
Northbridge 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
Northbridge has the most people working from home (16.2%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 | Northbridge | Plainfield | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
15,141Lowest |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
| Northbridge and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Northbridge and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Webster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
| Webster and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Highest 55% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northbridge and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northbridge and Plainfield 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Plainfield School District | Webster |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Plainfield High School | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8 |
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.