Compare towns
Webster vs Whiting 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).
Whiting has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Whiting | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748 |
532Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting 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% |
13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting and Webster 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 10% below U.S. |
$91,250±$38kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Whiting 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 9% above U.S. |
$280,400±$36kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,204±$519 15% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Webster and Whiting 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. |
$4,227Highest 36% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whiting and Gardner 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% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Whiting 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | 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.