Compare towns
Webster vs Orange vs Brooklyn 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 youngest population (median age 39.9).
Orange has the highest household income ($142k).
Brooklyn has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
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 | Orange | Brooklyn | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
14,315 |
8,517Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.6±2.4Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Orange 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. |
$142,325±$10kHighest 76% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$491,500±$17kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$2,172±$161Highest 54% above U.S. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$8,988Highest 188% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±12.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orange 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% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Orange 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 | #38 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | — | Brooklyn School District | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | — | None in town | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | — | 13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.