Compare towns
Webster vs Westhampton 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).
Westhampton has the most homeowners (91.4%).
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 | Westhampton | Webster | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
1,552Lowest |
17,748 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
49.3±4.9Highest 23% above MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
| Westhampton 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% |
18%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 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% |
25.4%±2.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest 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 |
$100,000±$7kHighest 4% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$413,200±$24kHighest 26% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,304±$229Highest 26% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
| Westhampton 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 |
$6,476Highest 8% above 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% |
33.3%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
6.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
29 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% |
14.1%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Westhampton 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 | — | #271 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Hampshire · Westhampton | Webster | Gardner |
| High school in town | — | Hampshire Regional High | Bartlett High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0Lowest |
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.