Compare towns
Plainfield vs Sterling 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
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Sterling has the most people working from home (18.3%).
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 | Plainfield | Sterling | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141 |
8,183Lowest |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
51.5±1.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±4.1Lowest 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+ | 16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sterling and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±1.8Lowest 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 | $76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$129,063±$27kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$498,800±$48kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,699±$161Highest 20% above U.S. |
$1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 35% above U.S. |
$6,757Highest 117% above U.S. |
$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sterling and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #135 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Wachusett | Webster |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 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.