Compare towns
Webster vs Ripton vs Gardner vs Warren
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).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Ripton | Gardner | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
508Lowest |
21,148Highest |
5,009 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
38.7±7.3 about the U.S. average |
| Ripton 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 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±8 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$66,082±$6k 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k about the U.S. average |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$333,700±$35k about the U.S. average |
| Ripton and Warren 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±$51 22% below U.S. |
$890±$174Lowest 37% 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. |
$4,915Highest 58% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,530 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton 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% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ripton and Gardner 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | #165 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Gardner | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Gardner High | Quaboag Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.