What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).

Auburn has the most people working from home (14.1%).

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	Webster	Auburn
People
Population	12,228Lowest	16,970Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA	44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA
Kids under 18	21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4%	21%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Webster and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	45.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9%	5%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Webster and Auburn 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	$116,711±$10kHighest 12% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA	$400,000±$16kHighest 29% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA	$1,467±$155Highest 17% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,234Lowest 46% below MA	$5,289Highest 12% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.4%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Auburn and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16%Highest MA: 10%	5.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%	79.6%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA	1963Highest 1 yr older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 5% below MA	26 minLowest 12% below MA
Work from home	7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	14.1%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#271 of 282 in MA	#106 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Auburn
High school in town	—	Auburn Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.1
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.