Compare towns
Douglas vs Webster vs West Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
West Boylston has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Douglas | Webster | West Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,207 |
17,748Highest |
7,782Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 10% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
45.5±2.7Highest 14% above MA |
| West Boylston and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
25.8%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| West Boylston and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$104,551±$12k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$440,000±$24k 22% below MA |
| Douglas and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA |
$1,261±$154 28% below MA |
| Douglas and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Highest 6% above MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$6,115 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.9%±12.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Webster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 16% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
25 minLowest 14% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±4.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Douglas and West Boylston 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #97 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Webster | West Boylston |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Bartlett High School | West Boylston Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
11.6Highest |
10.6 |
| 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.