Compare towns
Webster vs Gardner vs Plainfield vs Dudley
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).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Dudley has the most expensive homes ($393k 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 | Webster | Gardner | Plainfield | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
21,148Highest |
15,141 |
11,929Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1 4% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Dudley 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% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Dudley and Plainfield 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 |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182Highest 14% below U.S. |
| Dudley 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. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,209Highest 35% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Dudley 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% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Gardner | Plainfield School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | Plainfield High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
10.3Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.