Compare towns
Webster vs Thompson vs Gardner
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).
Thompson has the most homeowners (84.3%).
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 | Thompson | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228 |
9,337Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Gardner 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 21% below U.S. |
$93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14kHighest about the U.S. average |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| 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 15% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% 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. |
$3,822 23% above U.S. |
$4,150Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson 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% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Thompson 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 | #130 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Thompson School District | Gardner |
| High school in town | — | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.9Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.