Compare towns
Webster vs Lancaster vs Gardner vs Clinton
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 most kids (19.6% under 18).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Clinton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
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 | Lancaster | Gardner | Clinton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
8,606Lowest |
21,148Highest |
15,563 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
38.6±2.7Lowest 4% below MA |
| Gardner and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
17.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster 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% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.9%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Clinton 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 |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$89,781±$10k 14% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$387,300±$19k 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,402±$76 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$4,654 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
40.3%±6.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster 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% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
54.7%Lowest 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 |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
14.2%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #246 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Nashoba | Gardner | Clinton |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | Gardner High | Clinton Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
12.8 |
| 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.