Compare towns
Danielson vs Gardner vs Webster vs Willington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danielson has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Webster has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Willington has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Danielson | Gardner | Webster | Willington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,209Lowest |
21,148Highest |
12,228 |
5,575 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 34.5±3.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
37.2±2.1 4% below U.S. |
37.5±7.2 4% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Willington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±6.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Danielson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.6%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Willington and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 11.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
18.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.2%±6.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Willington and Danielson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,050±$15k 21% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$91,114±$12kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,600±$13kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$333,100±$14kHighest about the U.S. average |
$305,800±$48k 8% below U.S. |
| Webster and Willington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,235±$194 13% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,357±$116Highest 4% below U.S. |
| Willington and Danielson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,009 29% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$5,419Highest 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±17.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
70%±20.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Willington and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
13%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Willington 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 | #104 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Gardner | — | Willington School District |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.