Compare towns
Webster vs Putnam vs Gardner vs Whitman
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).
Putnam has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Whitman has the highest household income ($109k).
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 | Putnam | Gardner | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
9,292Lowest |
21,148Highest |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
40.4±1.8 4% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Whitman and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Whitman 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. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$108,933±$14kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$472,700±$12kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 28% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±13.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitman 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% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Whitman 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Putnam School District | Gardner | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Putnam High School | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
9.5Lowest |
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.