Compare towns
Webster vs Ossipee 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Ossipee has the most homeowners (82%).
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 | Ossipee | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748 |
4,521Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
50±4.6Highest 29% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Ossipee and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ossipee 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Gardner 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. |
$90,521±$22kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Ossipee and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$325,500±$23k about the U.S. average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,401Highest 41% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee 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% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Webster 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 | #100 of 120 in NH | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Governor Wentworth Regional 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 |
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.