Compare towns
Webster vs Beverly 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
Beverly has the most expensive homes ($650k median).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
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 | Beverly | Webster | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
42,665Highest |
12,228Lowest |
21,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
39±1.8 about the MA average |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Gardner and Webster 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% |
18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest 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+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$106,044±$7kHighest about the MA average |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$650,300±$13kHighest 16% above MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,771±$106Highest about the MA average |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 33% below MA |
$6,836Highest 14% above MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Beverly 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% |
9.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
60.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Beverly | — | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Beverly High | — | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
12.2 |
— | 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.