Compare towns
Webster vs Pepperell vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pepperell has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
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 | Pepperell | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
11,663Lowest |
12,228 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
42.4±3.3Highest 6% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
| Pepperell 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 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Pepperell 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% |
18.2%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Webster 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 |
$124,073±$12kHighest 19% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$482,100±$14kHighest 14% below MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,295±$238Highest 27% below MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
| Pepperell and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 33% below MA |
$6,698Highest 12% above MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Webster 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% |
8%Lowest MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.