Compare towns
Webster vs Athol vs Ware 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 expensive homes ($362k median).
Athol has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Ware | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
12,011 |
10,048Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Gardner and Ware 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% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol 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% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| 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 | $72,895±$6kHighest 30% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
| Webster and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
| Webster and Athol 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 |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Athol-Royalston | Ware | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Athol High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.