Compare towns
Webster vs Winchester 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 expensive homes ($362k median).
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (10%).
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 | Winchester | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
10,284Lowest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 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% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest 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±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8kHighest 5% 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. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,174±$116Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% 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. |
$4,780Highest 53% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Winchester and Webster 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% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Webster 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 | #97 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Webster | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Northwestern Regional High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
9.7Lowest |
10.3 |
| 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.