Compare towns
Webster vs Ashburnham 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 (40.2% rent).
Ashburnham has the most people working from home (16%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Ashburnham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
6,415Lowest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
40.7±6.3Highest 5% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Webster and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$118,809±$11kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$390,700±$34kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$6,046Highest 94% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashburnham 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 | #178 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Webster | Ashburnham-Westminster | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| 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.