Compare towns
Webster vs Bow 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 youngest population (median age 39.9).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
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 | Bow | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748 |
8,335Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Bow 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. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Webster 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Bow School District | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Bow High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
12.8 |
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.