Compare towns
Webster vs Lisbon 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).
Lisbon has the most homeowners (97.9%).
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 | Lisbon | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228 |
4,211Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
44.5±5.2Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Lisbon 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.1%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lisbon 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% |
21.3%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lisbon 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% |
19.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.1Lowest 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. |
$92,708±$12kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14kHighest about the U.S. average |
$315,700±$26k 5% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Webster and Lisbon 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. |
— | $1,109±$51Lowest 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. |
$4,044 30% above U.S. |
$4,150Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±75.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lisbon 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% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Lisbon 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 | #102 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Lisbon 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.