Compare towns
Webster vs Plainfield vs Douglas vs Whitman
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Whitman has the most expensive homes ($473k 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 | Douglas | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
1,314Lowest |
9,207 |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
40.4±1.8 4% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Douglas 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% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Whitman 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% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Douglas 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. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$108,933±$14k 35% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$472,700±$12kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Whitman and Douglas 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. |
$1,153±$103Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697 6% above U.S. |
$1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Whitman and Douglas 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. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
$5,824 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±13.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Whitman 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% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Douglas 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 | — | #177 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | — | Douglas | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | — | Douglas High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 7.2Lowest |
— |
| 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.