Compare towns
Webster vs Hanover 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
Hanover has the most people working from home (19.6%).
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 | Hanover | Webster | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
14,845 |
12,228Lowest |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
41.8±1.4Highest 4% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
| Hanover and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanover and Webster 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%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Hanover 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% |
56.8%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% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2 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 |
$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$755,400±$39kHighest 34% above MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,845±$341Highest 5% above MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,771±$151 about the MA average |
| Hanover and Whitman 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 |
$9,342Highest 56% above MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanover and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
84.5%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 |
1978Highest 14 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 |
32 min 10% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #69 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | — | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | South Shore Vocational Technical High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.