Compare towns
Webster vs Reading vs Clinton
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).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Clinton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
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 | Reading | Clinton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228Lowest |
25,612Highest |
15,563 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
38.6±2.7 4% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.9%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Clinton 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$89,781±$10k 14% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$387,300±$19k 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,402±$76 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,654 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40.3%±6.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Webster and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.2%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #246 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Reading | Clinton |
| High school in town | — | Reading Memorial High | Clinton Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.