Compare towns
Webster vs Hampton vs Gardner vs Warren
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).
Hampton has the highest household income ($109k).
Warren has the most expensive homes ($334k 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 | Hampton | Gardner | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
1,647Lowest |
21,148Highest |
5,009 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
51.5±5.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
38.7±7.3 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±8 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1 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. |
$109,167±$19kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$66,082±$6k 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k about the U.S. average |
$295,800±$27kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$333,700±$35kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Warren and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,285±$288Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$890±$174Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Webster 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. |
$4,364 40% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,530Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton 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% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton and Gardner 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | #165 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Hampton School District | Gardner | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Gardner High | Quaboag Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.