Compare towns
Douglas vs Webster vs Whately
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).
Whately has the shortest commute (23 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 | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,207 |
17,748Highest |
1,499Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 10% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
| Whately 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% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest 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% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Whately 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% |
47.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$116,563±$15k 12% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$431,500±$22k 23% below MA |
| Douglas and Whately 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±$81 30% below MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
| Douglas and Webster 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 |
$5,027 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest 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% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 16% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Douglas and Whately 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 | — |
| School district | Douglas | Webster | Whately |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Bartlett High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
11.6Highest |
— |
| 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.