Compare towns
Webster vs Lenox 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
Lenox has the most people working from home (18.3%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Whitman has the highest household income ($109k).
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 | Lenox | Webster | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
5,079Lowest |
12,228 |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
60.1±4.3Highest 50% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Whitman 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% |
40.1%±7.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.7%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% |
4.5%±2.8Lowest 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 |
$106,080±$31k about the MA average |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$108,933±$14kHighest 5% above MA |
| Whitman and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$466,700±$43k 17% below MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$472,700±$12kHighest 16% below MA |
| Whitman and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,091±$238Lowest 38% below MA |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 33% below MA |
$5,299 12% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.2%±18.8 MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
71.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 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 |
23 minLowest 22% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Lenox and Whitman 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 | #90 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Lenox | — | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Lenox Memorial High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
7.6Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.