Compare towns
Webster vs Lancaster vs Plainfield 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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 | Lancaster | Plainfield | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
8,606Lowest |
15,141 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1 4% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Plainfield 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Plainfield 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. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k about the U.S. average |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Plainfield School District | Gardner |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Plainfield High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| 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.