What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has the most people working from home (8%).

Southbridge Town has the most renters (57.3% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Webster	Southbridge Town
People
Population	17,748Lowest	17,928Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average	40.9±2.4Highest about the MA average
	Southbridge Town 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%	21.9%±3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Southbridge Town 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 MA: 17.9%	14.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	19.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%	5.2%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Webster and Southbridge Town 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	$66,287±$8kLowest 36% below MA
	Webster and Southbridge Town 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	$294,800±$18kLowest 48% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA	$1,256±$79Highest 29% below MA
	Southbridge Town and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA	$4,400Highest 27% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	55.8%±8.3Highest MA: 51.8%
	Southbridge Town 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%	15.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	42.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 5% above MA	28 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	8%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%	4.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Webster and Southbridge Town 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	#282 of 282 in MA
School district	Webster	Southbridge
High school in town	Bartlett High School	Southbridge High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.