Compare towns
Webster vs Ware 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).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Dudley has the highest household income ($85k).
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 | Ware | Plainfield | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
10,048Lowest |
15,141 |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
| Ware and Dudley 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% 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% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest 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±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Dudley and Plainfield 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. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% 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. |
$4,237Highest 36% 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% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
28 min 8% 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% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Ware | Plainfield School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Plainfield High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.1 |
10.3Lowest |
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.