Compare towns
Webster vs Middleton vs Gardner vs Douglas
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).
Middleton has the most expensive homes ($743k median).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
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 | Middleton | Gardner | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
9,816 |
21,148Highest |
9,207Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
| Douglas 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% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Douglas 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 |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
| Middleton and Douglas 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 |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
| Douglas and Middleton 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 |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Douglas and Gardner 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 | #71 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Middleton | Gardner | Douglas |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | Gardner High | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | 13.5Highest |
7.2Lowest |
| 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.