Compare towns
Webster vs Ware vs Plainfield vs Gardner
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 expensive homes ($362k median).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
10,048Lowest |
15,141 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Plainfield 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% |
19.6%±2.2 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% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Plainfield 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. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below 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. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
| Webster and Plainfield 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. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% 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% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 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 |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Ware 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 | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Ware | Plainfield School District | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Plainfield High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.1 |
10.3Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| 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.