What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

Winchendon has the most people working from home (11.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Webster	Winchendon
People
Population	17,748Highest	10,440Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±2.9Highest about the MA average	39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average
	Webster and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.8%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Winchendon 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%	16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Webster and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%	4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Webster and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA	$75,690±$14kHighest 27% below MA
	Winchendon 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	$323,800±$19kLowest 42% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA	$1,255±$163Highest 29% below MA
	Winchendon and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,999Highest 33% below MA	$3,780Lowest 37% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	61.7%±17.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Winchendon and Webster 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%	18.5%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	76.6%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 5% above MA	32 minHighest 11% above MA
Work from home	8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	11.2%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Winchendon and Webster 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	#269 of 282 in MA
School district	Webster	Winchendon
High school in town	Bartlett High School	Murdock High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Highest	11.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.