Compare towns
Webster vs Athol vs Gardner vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($249k median).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Webster has the most expensive 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.
| Measure | Webster | Athol | Gardner | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
8,801Lowest |
21,148Highest |
17,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1 7% below MA |
36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
21.9% MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$67,394±$8k 35% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$72,895±$6kHighest 30% below MA |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$248,700±$15kLowest 56% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$361,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,120±$173 36% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
| Webster and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234 46% below MA |
$3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
$4,150Highest 31% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
59.2%±17.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16% MA: 10% |
21%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
12.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
63.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Athol 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Gardner | Webster |
| High school in town | — | — | Gardner High | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5Highest |
11.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.