Compare towns
Webster vs Pascoag 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%).
Pascoag has the highest household income ($121k).
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 | Pascoag | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748 |
4,410Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
39.1±3.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pascoag and Webster 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% |
21%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pascoag 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% |
26.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±1.1Lowest 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. |
$121,369±$34kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$365,000±$47kHighest 10% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Pascoag and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,319±$444Highest 7% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Pascoag and Webster 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. |
$4,395Highest 41% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±27.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.4%±4.7Lowest 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | — | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | — | 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.