Compare towns
Webster vs Chaplin vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Chaplin has the highest household income ($98k).
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 | Chaplin | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228 |
2,070Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
43.7±4.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Gardner 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin 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 21% below U.S. |
$97,846±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14kHighest about the U.S. average |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Chaplin and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$4,524Highest 45% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chaplin and Gardner 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Gardner |
| High school in town | — | Parish Hill High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.5Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.