Compare towns
Webster vs Whitman vs Ware vs Douglas
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 renters (40.2% rent).
Whitman has the most expensive homes ($473k median).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
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 | Whitman | Ware | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
15,295 |
10,048 |
9,207Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
| Douglas and Ware 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% |
21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Webster 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% |
31.3% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Douglas 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 |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$472,700±$12kHighest 16% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
| Whitman and Douglas 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 |
$1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
| Whitman and Douglas 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 |
$5,824 about the MA average |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
34 min 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Douglas and Ware 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 | #191 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Whitman-Hanson | Ware | Douglas |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.1 |
7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.