Compare towns
Guildhall vs Webster vs Westfield vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Guildhall has the highest household income ($115k).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Westfield has the most people working from home (14.4%).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
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 | Guildhall | Webster | Westfield | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 371Lowest |
17,748Highest |
536 |
3,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±7.8 10% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
44±19.9 13% above U.S. |
45.5±6.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±6.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Westfield and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±11.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westfield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,000±$46kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$72,500±$30k 10% below U.S. |
$68,911±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Guildhall and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $321,200±$62k 3% below U.S. |
$361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$301,400±$47k 9% below U.S. |
$215,700±$24kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Webster and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$717Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$863±$187 39% below U.S. |
$1,019±$263 28% below U.S. |
| Webster and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,625Highest 48% above U.S. |
$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,388 41% above U.S. |
$4,226 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±71.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Guildhall and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westfield and Lancaster 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 | — | #271 of 282 in MA | — | #107 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Webster | — | White Mountains Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | Bartlett High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.