Compare towns
Webster vs Plainfield vs Plainville 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).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Plainfield | Plainville | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
15,141 |
17,551 |
11,929Lowest |
| 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 |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest 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% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Dudley and Plainville 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. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Webster and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 28% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dudley 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 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 | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainville 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Plainfield School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Plainfield High School | Plainville High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
10.3Lowest |
11.4 |
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.