Compare towns
Plainfield vs Webster vs Windsor vs Heath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most homeowners (98%).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
Windsor has the highest household income ($116k).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
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 | Webster | Windsor | Heath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616Lowest |
12,228Highest |
1,065 |
765 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
| Heath and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.1 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.6%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Heath and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.5% MA: 47.3% |
46.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
| 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 | $63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$63,837±$8k 39% below MA |
$115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
$98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
| Windsor and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$389,700±$32kHighest 31% below MA |
$295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
— | — |
| Plainfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458Highest 26% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$3,867 35% below MA |
$4,438 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Webster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
16% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.2% MA: 62.5% |
88.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 min 27% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Heath 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 | — | #271 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.