Compare towns
Webster vs Waterville 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).
Waterville has the most homeowners (79.9%).
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 | Waterville | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748 |
680Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.1±8.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Waterville and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±8.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterville 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Waterville 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. |
$71,250±$27k 12% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Webster and Waterville 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. |
$236,300±$15kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,110±$93 21% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Webster and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 28% above U.S. |
$3,957Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,150Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±27.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Waterville 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | 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.