Compare towns
Gardner vs Everett vs Webster vs West Springfield Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Webster has the most homeowners (59.8%).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 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 | Gardner | Everett | Webster | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148 |
50,045Highest |
17,748Lowest |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
40.1±2.6 about the MA average |
| Gardner and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Everett and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$69,371±$7k 33% below MA |
| Everett and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$321,500±$16k 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,144±$68 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 31% below MA |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
11.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Everett 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Everett | Webster | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Everett High | Bartlett High School | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.1 |
11.6Lowest |
13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.