Compare towns
Webster vs North Adams 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
North Adams has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | North Adams | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228Lowest |
12,606 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
44.1±3.5Highest 10% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
| North Adams and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Gardner 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% |
21.6%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| North Adams 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 MA: 47.3% |
28.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
9.8%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8k 39% below MA |
$47,500±$7kLowest 54% below MA |
$67,518±$8kHighest 35% below MA |
| Gardner 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 |
$195,900±$14kLowest 65% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85Highest 32% below MA |
$793±$113Lowest 55% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
| Webster and Gardner 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 |
$3,078Lowest 49% below MA |
$4,150Highest 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
63.7%±11Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| North Adams and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% MA: 10% |
18.6%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
51% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Highest 10 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1954Highest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
17 minLowest 40% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.5 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and North Adams 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 | #268 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical | Gardner |
| High school in town | — | Charles McCann Vocational Technical | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.