Compare towns
Gardner vs Reading 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).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
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 | Reading | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148 |
25,612Highest |
12,228Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Gardner 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Gardner 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 31% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Reading | — |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Reading Memorial High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
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| 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.