Compare towns
Webster vs Needham vs Gardner
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 renters (54.5% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k 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 | Needham | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228Lowest |
32,459Highest |
21,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Gardner and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham 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 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Needham 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Gardner |
| High school in town | — | — | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5 |
| 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.