Compare towns
Webster vs Devens vs Webster vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Douglas has the most homeowners (83.8%).
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 | Devens | Webster | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
1,723Lowest |
12,228 |
9,207 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
| Devens and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster 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% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Webster 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% MA: 47.3% |
21.9% MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster 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 30% below MA |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
| Devens and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$556,800±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
| Devens and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
| Douglas and Devens 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 |
$5,556 7% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
16% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
79.3% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Devens and Douglas 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 | — | #271 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | — | — | Douglas |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | — | — | 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 | 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.