Compare towns
Webster vs Fall River vs Gardner vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Fall River | Gardner | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
94,082Highest |
21,148 |
9,207Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
| Douglas and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas 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% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 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±$6k 30% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 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 | $3,999 33% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 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 |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Douglas 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Gardner | Douglas |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | B M C Durfee High | Gardner High | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.3 |
13.5Highest |
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.