Compare towns
Webster vs Harvard vs Upton 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 youngest population (median age 39.9).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
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 | Harvard | Upton | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
6,927Lowest |
8,189 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
| Upton and Harvard 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% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Harvard 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% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Gardner 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 |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,321±$424Highest 25% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
| Harvard 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Harvard | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | The Bromfield High School | Blackstone Valley | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.0Lowest |
11.2 |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.