Compare towns
Webster vs Plainfield vs Gardner vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most expensive homes ($362k median).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
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 | Plainfield | Gardner | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
616Lowest |
21,148Highest |
12,228 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
| Plainfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest 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±$6kHighest 30% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$63,837±$8k 39% below MA |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA |
$309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
| Plainfield 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 |
$4,458Highest 26% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
| 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
16% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | — | #273 of 282 in MA | #271 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 | 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.