Compare towns
Spencer vs Webster vs Palmer Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Spencer has the most people working from home (15%).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Spencer | Webster | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,008Lowest |
17,748Highest |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.8Highest 22% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
47.8±5.6 20% above MA |
| Spencer and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Spencer and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,533±$11kHighest 23% below MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
| Spencer and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,000±$22kHighest 32% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
| Spencer and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,078±$161 39% below MA |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
$1,075±$103Lowest 39% below MA |
| Webster and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,387 27% below MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$4,540Highest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Palmer Town and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11% MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63% MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 15%±7.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Spencer 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 | #261 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Spencer-E Brookfield | Webster | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | David Prouty High | Bartlett High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
11.6Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.