Compare towns
Oxford 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
Oxford has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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 | Oxford | Plainfield | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,385Lowest |
15,141 |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±2.8Highest 8% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
| Oxford and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Oxford and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Webster and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oxford and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,862±$10kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,900±$18kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
| Oxford and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$142Lowest 17% 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 | $4,622Highest 48% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.8%±15.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Oxford and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 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 | 28 min 7% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Oxford 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 | #245 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Oxford | Plainfield School District | Webster |
| High school in town | Oxford High | Plainfield High School | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
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.