Compare towns
Webster vs Berlin vs Gardner vs Clinton
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 kids (21.8% under 18).
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Clinton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
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 | Berlin | Gardner | Clinton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
3,378Lowest |
21,148Highest |
15,563 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+10.2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
38.6±2.7 4% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
17.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Gardner 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% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
36.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.9%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Clinton 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 |
$121,336±$12kHighest 17% above MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$89,781±$10k 14% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$616,600±$55kHighest 10% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$387,300±$19k 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,402±$76 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$7,116Highest 19% above MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$4,654 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
40.3%±6.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Berlin and Gardner 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
8.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
54.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
34 minHighest 17% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
14.2%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #61 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #246 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Berlin-Boylston | Gardner | Clinton |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Gardner High | Clinton Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.