Compare towns
Webster vs Ledyard vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most expensive homes ($362k median).
Ledyard has the highest household income ($108k).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Ledyard | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748 |
15,433Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
37.1±1.4Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Ledyard 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 10% below U.S. |
$107,975±$10kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$326,200±$27k about the U.S. average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Webster and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,629±$247Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$6,371Highest 104% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±27Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ledyard and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Ledyard 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 | #99 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Ledyard School District | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Ledyard High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.5Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.