Compare towns
Webster vs Sturbridge vs Plainfield 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).
Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Sturbridge | Plainfield | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
9,960Lowest |
15,141 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Dudley 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% |
19.8%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±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. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19k 18% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% 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. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 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 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Plainfield School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Plainfield High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
7.7Lowest |
10.3 |
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.