Compare towns
Webster vs Plainville vs Windsor Locks 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).
Plainville has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Plainville | Windsor Locks | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
17,551 |
12,579 |
11,929Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Windsor Locks 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% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 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% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3Lowest 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% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Webster 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. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Dudley 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% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Windsor Locks School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Plainville High School | Windsor Locks High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.4 |
8.9Lowest |
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.