Compare towns
Webster vs Plainfield vs Putnam vs Gardner
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 expensive homes ($362k median).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).
Putnam has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Putnam | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
15,141 |
9,292Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Plainfield 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% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 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±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Webster and Plainfield 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. |
$4,209Highest 35% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Plainfield School District | Putnam School District | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Plainfield High School | Putnam High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
10.3 |
9.5Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| 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.