Compare towns
Devens 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
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Devens | Gardner | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
21,148Highest |
17,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Devens and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 5.5%±3.9Lowest 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+ | 14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539Highest 15% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
| Devens and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556Highest 7% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
12.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #273 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Gardner | Webster |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
11.6Lowest |
| 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.