Compare towns
Webster vs Devens vs Southbridge Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Southbridge Town has the most affordable homes ($295k 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 | Devens | Southbridge Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228 |
1,723Lowest |
17,928Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
40.9±2.4 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.9%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Southbridge Town and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
14.3%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Southbridge Town 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 MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
19.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Devens 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 |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$66,287±$8k 36% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$556,800±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$294,800±$18kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,500±$539Highest 15% below MA |
$1,256±$79 29% below MA |
| Devens and Southbridge Town 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 |
$5,556Highest 7% below MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±8.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% MA: 10% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
15.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5% MA: 62.5% |
79.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
4.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | — | #282 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Southbridge |
| High school in town | — | — | Southbridge High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.