Compare towns
Webster vs Chilmark 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).
Chilmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+40%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k 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 | Chilmark | Gardner | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
1,578Lowest |
21,148Highest |
17,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+40%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
53.6±8.1Highest 34% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
| Chilmark and Gardner 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% |
16.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Webster 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% |
36.2%±12.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
68.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±2.6Lowest 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 |
$168,750±$28kHighest 62% above MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$1,895,300±$281kHighest 237% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$2,750±$2kHighest 56% above MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
| Chilmark 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 |
$4,485Highest 25% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
30.8%±59.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
4.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
32 minHighest 8% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±11Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Chilmark 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 | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Up-Island Regional | Gardner | Webster |
| High school in town | — | None 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.