Compare towns
Webster vs Gardner vs Upton 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).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Gardner | Upton | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
21,148Highest |
8,189Lowest |
17,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
| Upton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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 MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
| Webster 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 |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Gardner | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Webster |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | Blackstone Valley | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
11.2Lowest |
11.6 |
| 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.