Compare towns
Webster vs Ware vs Webster 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).
Ware has the most homeowners (72.3%).
Webster has the most expensive homes ($362k median).
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 | Ware | Webster | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
10,048Lowest |
17,748 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Gardner and Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Webster 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% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster 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 |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$72,895±$6kHighest 30% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$361,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
| Webster and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware 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% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ware | Webster | Gardner |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Bartlett High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.6 |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.