Compare towns
Webster vs Whitman vs Plainfield
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).
Whitman has the highest household income ($109k).
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 | Whitman | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
15,295 |
15,141Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
40.4±1.8Highest 4% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Whitman and Webster 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% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Whitman and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Webster and Plainfield 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% |
31.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 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±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$108,933±$14kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$472,700±$12kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±13.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitman 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% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Whitman 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 | #191 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Webster | Whitman-Hanson | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| 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.