Compare towns
Gardner vs Mendon vs Webster
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 affordable homes ($302k median).
Mendon has the highest household income ($132k).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
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 | Mendon | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
6,325Lowest |
12,228 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
| Mendon and Gardner 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% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon 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% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon 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±$8k 35% below MA |
$132,256±$33kHighest 27% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 31% below MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% MA: 10% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Mendon and Gardner 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — |
| 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.