Compare towns

Colebrook vs Gardner vs Webster

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Colebrook has the highest household income ($111k).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).

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.

MeasureColebrookGardnerWebster
People
Population
1,494Lowest
21,148Highest
12,228
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+5.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
52.1±5Highest
34% above U.S.
43.7±2.3
12% above U.S.
37.2±2.1Lowest
4% below U.S.
Kids under 18
17.9%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
18.3%±2.3
U.S.: 22%
21.8%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
26%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.6%±2.2
U.S.: 17.2%
15.7%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Colebrook and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
36.6%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
23.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
18.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.4%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
4.6%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Webster and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$111,250±$17kHighest
38% above U.S.
$67,518±$8k
16% below U.S.
$63,837±$8kLowest
21% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$342,800±$19kHighest
3% above U.S.
$301,600±$20kLowest
9% below U.S.
$333,100±$14k
about the U.S. average
Colebrook and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,333±$626Highest
6% below U.S.
$1,109±$51Lowest
22% below U.S.
$1,198±$85
15% below U.S.
Colebrook and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,211Highest
99% above U.S.
$4,150
33% above U.S.
$3,234Lowest
4% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
42.1%±55Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
49.7%±8.6Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.1%±7.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
16%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
91.6%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
58.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
45.5%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1960Highest
20 yrs older than U.S.
1954Lowest
26 yrs older than U.S.
1954Lowest
26 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 minHighest
29% above U.S.
31 min
16% above U.S.
28 minLowest
4% above U.S.
Work from home
7%±3.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
13.3%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
7.1%±2.9
U.S.: 15.1%
Gardner 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 — #273 of 282 in MA #271 of 282 in MA
School district Colebrook School District Gardner —
High school in town None in town Gardner High —
Students per teacherat that high school —
13.5
—
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.