Compare towns
Webster vs Hanson 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).
Hanson has the highest household income ($132k).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (10%).
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 | Hanson | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
10,660Lowest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
42.8±3Highest 10% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Hanson 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% |
21.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hanson 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% |
19.7%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hanson 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% |
42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$132,200±$10kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$533,900±$36kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,821±$860Highest 29% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Hanson 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. |
$6,402Highest 105% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanson 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Webster 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 | #149 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Webster | Whitman-Hanson | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Whitman Hanson Regional | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
14.7Highest |
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.