Compare towns
Upton vs Webster vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k 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 | Upton | Webster | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
12,228 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
| Upton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,198±$85Highest 32% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Gardner |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | — | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| 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.