Compare towns
Gardner vs Needham 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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Webster has the youngest population (median age 39.9).
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 | Needham | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148 |
32,459Highest |
17,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Gardner and Needham 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 31% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | — | Webster |
| High school in town | Gardner High | — | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 11.6Lowest |
| 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.