Compare towns
Webster vs Halifax vs Gardner
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).
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
Gardner has the oldest population (median age 43.7).
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 | Halifax | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228 |
847Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
40.6±13.1 4% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Halifax 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% |
44.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$63,889±$7k 21% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8kHighest 16% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14kHighest about the U.S. average |
$267,500±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85Highest 15% below U.S. |
$875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
| Webster and Gardner 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. |
$4,991Highest 60% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Halifax and Gardner 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% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | — | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Halifax School District | Gardner |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.