Compare towns
Webster vs Athol 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%).
Athol has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Dudley has the highest household income ($85k).
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 | Athol | Gardner | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
8,801Lowest |
21,148Highest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
| Gardner and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$67,394±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
| Dudley and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$248,700±$15kLowest 56% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
$1,120±$173 36% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Webster and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 33% below MA |
$3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
$4,150Highest 31% below MA |
$3,691 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.2%±17.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
21%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
63.7% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Athol 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 | #256 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | — | Gardner | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | — | Gardner High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | 13.5 |
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.