Compare towns

Webster vs Greenfield 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 youngest population (median age 39.9).
Greenfield has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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.

MeasureWebsterGreenfieldDouglas
People
Population
17,748Highest
17,664
9,207Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6%
MA: +7.4%
—
+6%
MA: +7.4%
Median age
39.9±2.9Lowest
about the MA average
44.6±2.1Highest
12% above MA
44±2.6
10% above MA
Greenfield 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%
18.3%±1.9Lowest
MA: 19.4%
21.2%±3.8Highest
MA: 19.4%
Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.6%±2.5
MA: 17.9%
23.4%±2.2Highest
MA: 17.9%
15.4%±3.1Lowest
MA: 17.9%
Greenfield 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%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
39.1%
MA: 47.3%
41.7%Highest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.8%±1.6Highest
MA: 7.9%
3.7%±0.9Lowest
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
$55,614±$7kLowest
47% below MA
$152,267±$10kHighest
46% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$361,500±$12k
36% below MA
$263,100±$16kLowest
53% below MA
$470,600±$29kHighest
16% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,228±$81
30% below MA
$1,107±$67Lowest
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
$4,769
20% below MA
$6,338Highest
6% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
45.7%±6.7
MA: 51.8%
63.2%±7.3Highest
MA: 51.8%
33.9%±17.4Lowest
MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line
12.7%
MA: 10%
15.2%Highest
MA: 10%
4.8%Lowest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%
MA: 62.5%
55.7%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
83.8%Highest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1962
2 yrs older than MA
1947Lowest
17 yrs older than MA
1986Highest
22 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
31 min
5% above MA
17 minLowest
40% below MA
34 minHighest
16% above MA
Work from home
8%±2.5Lowest
MA: 18.6%
11.9%±2.4
MA: 18.6%
20.9%±4.9Highest
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #271 of 282 in MA #257 of 282 in MA #177 of 282 in MA
School district Webster Greenfield Douglas
High school in town Bartlett High School Greenfield High Douglas High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.6Highest
10.9
7.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
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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.