Compare towns
Webster vs Ashby vs Douglas
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 (40.2% rent).
Ashby has the oldest population (median age 50.5).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Ashby | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
3,211Lowest |
9,207 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ashby and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$390,500±$30k 31% below MA |
$470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$6,034 about the MA average |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Webster and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Douglas and Ashby 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | North Middlesex | Douglas |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.