Compare towns
Gardner vs Webster vs Dudley
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 people working from home (13.3%).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
Dudley has the highest household income ($85k).
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 | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
12,228 |
11,929Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Gardner and Dudley 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% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Dudley 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%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Dudley 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% |
24.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
| Dudley and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
| Dudley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Highest 31% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner and Dudley 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% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Dudley 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 | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Gardner High | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| 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.