What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rochester has the most expensive homes ($599k median).

Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k 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.

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

Measure	Rochester	Webster
People
Population	5,837Lowest	17,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.5±6Highest 16% above MA	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average
	Rochester and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.1%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Rochester and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Rochester and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.5%Highest MA: 47.3%	25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Webster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$120,273±$12kHighest 16% above MA	$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$599,100±$31kHighest 7% above MA	$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,432±$743Highest 19% below MA	$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA
	Rochester and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,530Highest 9% above MA	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	45.7%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Webster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Lowest MA: 10%	12.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA	1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 25% above MA	31 minLowest 5% above MA
Work from home	8.3%±3.7Highest MA: 18.6%	8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Rochester and Webster 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	#104 of 282 in MA	#271 of 282 in MA
School district	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester	Webster
High school in town	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical	Bartlett High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.1Lowest	11.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.