Compare towns
Gardner vs Sutton vs Ware 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 renters (41.1% rent).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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.
| Measure | Gardner | Sutton | Ware | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
9,452Lowest |
10,048 |
17,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Sutton 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% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest 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 |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
| Webster and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 31% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware 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% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Sutton | Ware | Webster |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Sutton High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.6 |
11.1Lowest |
11.6 |
| 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.