Compare towns
Webster vs Hingham vs Webster vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
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 | Hingham | Webster | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
24,283Highest |
12,228Lowest |
21,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
| Hingham 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% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham 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% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% MA: 47.3% |
76.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 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 |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 33% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham 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% |
4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Hingham | — | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Hingham High | — | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
12.9 |
— | 13.5Highest |
| 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.