Compare towns
Webster vs Athol vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
Bordering WebsterDudley
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Athol has the most people working from home (10.6%).
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 | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228 |
12,011Lowest |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
41.3±1.9Highest 3% above MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
| Athol and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$72,895±$6kHighest 30% below MA |
| Webster and Athol 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 |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$361,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,150±$182Lowest 35% 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 | $3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$3,403 43% below MA |
$3,999Highest 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
12.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Athol 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Athol-Royalston | Webster |
| High school in town | — | Athol High | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
11.6 |
| 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.