Compare towns
Webster vs Hadley vs Webster vs Whitman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hadley has the most people working from home (20.1%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
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 | Hadley | Webster | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
5,306Lowest |
12,228 |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
| Hadley and Whitman 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% |
16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Whitman 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% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley 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% |
61.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley 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 |
$119,259±$12kHighest 15% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
| Hadley and Whitman 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 |
$511,000±$43kHighest 9% below MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
| Hadley and Whitman 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 |
$1,402±$132 20% below MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 33% below MA |
$5,271 12% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman 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% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Hadley and Whitman 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 | #116 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Hadley | — | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Hopkins Academy | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
7.3Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.