Compare towns
Webster vs Wells 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).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228 |
11,713Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Lowest 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% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest 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. |
$88,024±$11kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k about the U.S. average |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297Highest 4% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Wells and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234 4% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$4,150Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Webster 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% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Gardner |
| High school in town | — | Wells High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
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.