Compare towns
Webster vs Ashburnham vs Plainfield 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
Ashburnham has the highest household income ($119k).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Gardner has the oldest population (median age 43.7).
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 | Ashburnham | Plainfield | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
6,415Lowest |
15,141 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
40.7±6.3 5% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$118,809±$11kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$390,700±$34kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$6,046Highest 94% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashburnham 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 | #178 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Ashburnham-Westminster | Plainfield School District | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | Plainfield High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | 10.3Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.