Compare towns
Gardner vs Warner vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Warner has the highest household income ($94k).
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 | Warner | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
2,959Lowest |
17,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.7±4Highest 12% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Warner 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
42.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Warner 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 16% below U.S. |
$94,022±$18kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
| Warner 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 9% below U.S. |
$353,100±$22k 6% above U.S. |
$361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Webster and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,219±$123 14% below U.S. |
$1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
| Webster and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$7,650Highest 145% above U.S. |
$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.7%±21.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Warner 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 | — | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Kearsarge Regional School District | Webster |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | 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 |
U.S. 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.