Compare towns
Bourne vs Gardner vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
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 | Bourne | Gardner | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323 |
21,148Highest |
17,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,058±$7kHighest 12% below MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
| Bourne and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485Highest 25% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Gardner 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Gardner | Webster |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Gardner High | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
13.5Highest |
11.6 |
| 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.