Compare towns
Webster vs Chester vs Douglas
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 renters (40.2% rent).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($282k median).
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
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 | Chester | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
1,240Lowest |
9,207 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
45.9±3.7Highest 15% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
| Chester and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±8.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Chester and Douglas 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% |
16.5%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
27.3% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$89,390±$6k 14% below MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$281,900±$14kLowest 50% below MA |
$470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,104±$71Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$4,522 25% below MA |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
54.1%±22.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Chester and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.5% MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
7%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | — | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Gateway | Douglas |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.