Compare towns
Dalton 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
Dalton has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Webster has the most expensive homes ($362k 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 | Dalton | Gardner | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,256Lowest |
21,148Highest |
17,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Dalton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,438±$8kHighest 24% below MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
| Dalton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$361,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,276Highest 29% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±7.1 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Dalton 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 | #192 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Gardner | Webster |
| High school in town | Wahconah Regional High | Gardner High | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
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.