Compare towns
Beverly vs Webster vs Woburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has the most people working from home (22.3%).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($333k median).
Woburn has the shortest commute (25 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 | Beverly | Webster | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,665Highest |
12,228Lowest |
41,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8 about the MA average |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
39.3±1.6Highest about the MA average |
| Woburn and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Beverly and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7k about the MA average |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$111,185±$9kHighest 7% above MA |
| Woburn and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$673,500±$17kHighest 20% above MA |
| Woburn and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106 about the MA average |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,221±$77Highest 26% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836Highest 14% above MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$5,354 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 9.4% MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
55.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 3% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #144 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | — | Woburn |
| High school in town | Beverly High | — | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.