Compare towns
Webster vs Dover vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
Bordering WebsterDudley
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Dover has the most people working from home (34.2%).
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 | Dover | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228 |
5,930Lowest |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
| Dover and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dover 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% |
16.7%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Dover 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% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover 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 |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
| Dover 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Webster 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% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Webster |
| High school in town | — | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| 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.