Compare towns
Webster vs Plainfield 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Whitman has the highest household income ($109k).
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 | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
1,314Lowest |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest 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. |
40.4±1.8 4% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Whitman 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% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest 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% |
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% |
5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Whitman 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. |
$108,933±$14kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$472,700±$12kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest 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% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older 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. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Whitman 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 | — | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | — | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | — |
| 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.