Compare towns
Gardner vs Webster vs Douglas
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).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Webster | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
12,228 |
9,207Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
| Douglas 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% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Douglas 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% |
15.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest 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% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Douglas 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 |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
| Douglas and Webster 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 |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest 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% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Douglas 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 | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | — | Douglas |
| High school in town | Gardner High | — | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.