Compare towns
Webster vs Sturbridge vs Plainville
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%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
9,960Lowest |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Plainville 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% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% 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% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Webster and Sturbridge 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. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster and Sturbridge 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% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% 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. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Webster | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
7.7Lowest |
11.4 |
| 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.