Compare towns
Webster vs Ware vs Warwick 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% 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.
| Measure | Webster | Ware | Warwick | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
10,048 |
776Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
0%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
51.4±7.3Highest 29% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
| Warwick and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
23.2%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Warwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
40.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$93,333±$22kHighest 10% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
| Warwick and Webster 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 |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$349,400±$34k 38% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
| Webster and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,367±$163Highest 22% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
| Warwick 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 |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,380Highest 27% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
40 minHighest 37% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Warwick 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 | Ware | Warwick | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.