Compare towns
Webster vs Wakefield vs Gardner
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 youngest population (median age 39.9).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
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 | Wakefield | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Lowest |
27,793Highest |
21,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Gardner and Wakefield 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% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Gardner 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 |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest 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% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
10.7Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.