Compare towns
Northbridge vs Webster vs Plainfield
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%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Northbridge | Webster | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
12,228Lowest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
37.2±2.1 4% below U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Northbridge 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% |
18.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 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. |
$63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$333,100±$14k about the U.S. average |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,198±$85Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
| Northbridge and Plainfield 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. |
$3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest 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% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Northbridge | — | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | — | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| 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.