Compare towns
Webster vs Colebrook vs Gardner vs Dudley
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).
Colebrook has the highest household income ($111k).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Dudley has the most expensive homes ($393k 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 | Colebrook | Gardner | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
1,494Lowest |
21,148Highest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
52.1±5Highest 34% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4 3% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Dudley 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% |
26%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colebrook 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% |
36.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$111,250±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$84,604±$12k 5% above U.S. |
| Colebrook and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k about the U.S. average |
$342,800±$19k 3% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,333±$626Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Colebrook and Dudley 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. |
$6,211Highest 99% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$3,691 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±55Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Dudley 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Dudley 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 | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Colebrook School District | Gardner | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Gardner High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.