What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fitchburg has the most people working from home (10.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Fitchburg	Webster
People
Population	41,798Highest	17,748Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	36.3±2Lowest 9% below MA	39.9±2.9Highest about the MA average
	Webster and Fitchburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Fitchburg and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	25.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	5.8%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Fitchburg and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$73,040±$5kHighest 30% below MA	$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA
	Fitchburg and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$336,400±$11kLowest 40% below MA	$361,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,222±$89Lowest 31% below MA	$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA
	Webster and Fitchburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,456Highest 26% below MA	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.9%±5.3Highest MA: 51.8%	45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Fitchburg and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.6%Highest MA: 10%	12.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	54.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	59.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA	1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 7% below MA	31 minHighest 5% above MA
Work from home	10.3%±2Highest MA: 18.6%	8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Fitchburg and Webster 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	#249 of 282 in MA	#271 of 282 in MA
School district	Fitchburg · Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical	Webster
High school in town	Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical	Bartlett High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	11.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.