Compare towns
Webster vs Everett vs Fall River vs Gardner
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 homeowners (59.8%).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Fall River has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Everett | Fall River | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Lowest |
50,045 |
94,082Highest |
21,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
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% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Everett and Fall River 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% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett 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 |
$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
| Everett and Webster 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 |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 33% below MA |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Everett 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 | #264 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Everett | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Everett High | B M C Durfee High | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
12.1 |
11.3Lowest |
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.