Compare towns
Webster vs Bloomfield 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
Webster has the most expensive homes ($362k median).
Bloomfield has the most people working from home (18.2%).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
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 | Bloomfield | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Lowest |
21,754Highest |
21,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.4±3.3Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Bloomfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bloomfield and Webster 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. |
$98,725±$14kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$286,900±$11kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,881±$175Highest 33% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$5,795Highest 86% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±11.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bloomfield 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% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.2%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bloomfield 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 | #139 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Bloomfield School District · Capitol Region Education Council | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Academy of International Studies 6-12 | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
10.1Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.