Compare towns
Webster vs Warwick vs Gardner vs Dudley
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%).
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Dudley has the most expensive homes ($393k 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 | Warwick | Gardner | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
776Lowest |
21,148Highest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
0%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
51.4±7.3Highest 29% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Warwick 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% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Dudley 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% |
23.2%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Warwick 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% |
40.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$93,333±$22kHighest 10% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Warwick and Dudley 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 |
$349,400±$34k 38% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
| Dudley and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,367±$163Highest 22% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Warwick and Dudley 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 |
$4,380Highest 27% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
40 minHighest 37% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Warwick 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 | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Warwick | Gardner | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Gardner High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| 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.