Compare towns
Webster vs Ware 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 most expensive homes ($362k median).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Gardner has the oldest population (median age 43.7).
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 | Ware | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748 |
6,369Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware 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% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest 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±$6kHighest 30% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% 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 |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
| Webster and Gardner 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 |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,150Highest 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Gardner 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% |
14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Gardner 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #273 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 |
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.