Compare towns
Webster vs Fall River vs Gardner
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%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Fall River | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228Lowest |
94,082Highest |
21,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Fall River 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% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8k 39% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$67,518±$8kHighest 35% below MA |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$395,500±$11kHighest 30% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85Highest 32% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
| Webster and Fall River 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 |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$4,150Highest 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Highest 10 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1954Highest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Webster 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Gardner |
| High school in town | — | B M C Durfee High | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| 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.