Compare towns
Webster vs Easthampton 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
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Easthampton has the most people working from home (19%).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).
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 | Webster | Easthampton | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228Lowest |
16,086Highest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1 4% below U.S. |
46±2.6Highest 18% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 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+ | 15.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
38%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Easthampton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$71,673±$7k 11% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k about the U.S. average |
$371,500±$15kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,292±$70Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
| Easthampton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$4,932Highest 58% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.5%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #92 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Easthampton | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | — | Easthampton High | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
10.3Highest |
| 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.