Compare towns
Nelson vs Webster vs Roxbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Roxbury has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Nelson | Webster | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 648 |
17,748Highest |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.3±11.7 9% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.2±17.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Roxbury and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±11.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±10.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.4%±15.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Roxbury and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,792±$23kHighest 24% above U.S. |
$72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$69,226±$14kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Nelson and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$49k about the U.S. average |
$361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$323,100±$219kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Webster and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,203±$243Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
— |
| Webster and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,575 79% above U.S. |
$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$5,787Highest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±68.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #271 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Nelson School District | Webster | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bartlett High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| 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.