Compare towns
Webster vs Torrington 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 the most expensive homes ($362k median).
Torrington has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
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 | Torrington | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Lowest |
35,547Highest |
21,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.9±1.8 10% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Torrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Gardner 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% |
19.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Torrington 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 10% below U.S. |
$70,856±$5k 12% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Webster and Torrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$215,500±$8kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,169±$43 17% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Webster and Torrington 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. |
$5,042Highest 62% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Torrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Torrington 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 | #132 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Torrington School District | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Torrington High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
11.9 |
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.