What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).

Monroe has the highest household income ($157k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Webster	Monroe
People
Population	17,748Lowest	18,949Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average	43.5±2.2Highest 12% above U.S.
	Monroe and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	25.2%±3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Monroe 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 U.S.: 17.2%	15.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Webster and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Webster and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S.	$157,250±$12kHighest 95% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,500±$12kLowest 9% above U.S.	$503,200±$31kHighest 51% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S.	$994±$860Lowest 30% below U.S.
	Webster and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	48.8%±46.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Monroe and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S.	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 16% above U.S.	34 minHighest 29% above U.S.
Work from home	8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	15.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#271 of 282 in MA	#48 of 149 in CT
School district	Webster	Monroe School District
High school in town	Bartlett High School	Masuk High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.