Compare towns
Webster vs Monroe vs Southbridge Town
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 people working from home (7.1%).
Monroe has the most homeowners (75.9%).
Southbridge Town has the most renters (57.3% rent).
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 | Monroe | Southbridge Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228 |
122Lowest |
17,928Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
60.2±9.9Highest 51% above MA |
40.9±2.4 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±28Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.9%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Southbridge Town and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
31.1%±27.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Monroe and Webster 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% |
19.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
19.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
9%±18.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Monroe 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 |
— | $66,287±$8kHighest 36% below MA |
| Southbridge Town and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14kHighest 41% below MA |
$165,000±$141kLowest 71% below MA |
$294,800±$18k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
— | $1,256±$79Highest 29% below MA |
| Southbridge Town and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234 46% below MA |
$2,053Lowest 66% below MA |
$4,400Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±8.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Southbridge Town and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% MA: 10% |
38.5%Highest MA: 10% |
15.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5% MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
56 minHighest 93% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
0%±41.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
4.8%±1.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Webster and Southbridge Town 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 | — | #282 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Southbridge |
| High school in town | — | — | Southbridge High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.