What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pembroke has the most people working from home (21.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Pembroke	Webster
People
Population	18,382Highest	17,748Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.5±3.3Highest 14% above MA	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average
	Pembroke and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Webster and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Webster and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Webster and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$146,285±$17kHighest 41% above MA	$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$586,500±$28kHighest 4% above MA	$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,464±$753Highest 40% above MA	$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,585Highest 10% above MA	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8%	45.7%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Webster and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Lowest MA: 10%	12.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA	1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 19% above MA	31 minLowest 5% above MA
Work from home	21.2%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6%	8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#82 of 282 in MA	#271 of 282 in MA
School district	Pembroke	Webster
High school in town	Pembroke High School	Bartlett High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.3Highest	11.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.