Compare towns
Webster vs Beacon Falls 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 (40.2% rent).
Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).
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 | Beacon Falls | Plainfield | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
6,147Lowest |
15,141 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
48.4±3.8Highest 24% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Dudley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Beacon Falls and Webster 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% |
44.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$101,516±$42kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Beacon Falls and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$350,300±$34k 5% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,921±$286Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 28% above U.S. |
$6,534Highest 109% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±30.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Beacon Falls and Dudley 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% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.3%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Beacon Falls 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 | #77 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Regional School District 16 | Plainfield School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Woodland Regional High School | Plainfield High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.2 |
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.