Compare towns
Douglas vs Webster vs Whitman vs Thompson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Whitman has the most expensive homes ($473k median).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Whitman | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207Lowest |
17,748Highest |
15,295 |
9,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.4±1.8 4% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 89% above U.S. |
$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$108,933±$14k 35% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$472,700±$12kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Whitman and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697 6% above U.S. |
$1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Whitman and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
$3,999 28% above U.S. |
$5,824 87% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±13.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitman and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 28% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Douglas and Thompson 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 | #191 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Douglas | Webster | Whitman-Hanson | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Bartlett High School | None in town | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
11.6Highest |
— | 7.9 |
| 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.