What stands out worked out from the figures below

Southbridge Town has the most renters (57.3% rent).

Webster has the most people working from home (8%).

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	Southbridge Town	Webster
People
Population	17,928Highest	17,748Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±2.4Highest about the MA average	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average
	Southbridge Town and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.9%±3Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Southbridge Town and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	25.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Webster and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,287±$8kLowest 36% below MA	$72,895±$6kHighest 30% below MA
	Webster and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$294,800±$18kLowest 48% below MA	$361,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,256±$79Highest 29% below MA	$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA
	Southbridge Town and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,400Highest 27% below MA	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.8%±8.3Highest MA: 51.8%	45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Southbridge Town and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.3%Highest MA: 10%	12.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	42.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	59.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA	1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	31 minHighest 5% above MA
Work from home	4.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	8%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%
	Webster and Southbridge Town 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	#282 of 282 in MA	#271 of 282 in MA
School district	Southbridge	Webster
High school in town	Southbridge High School	Bartlett High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	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.