Compare towns
Webster vs Winchester 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).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k median).
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 | Winchester | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748 |
10,284Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Winchester 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 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8%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% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$6kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
| Webster and Gardner 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. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Webster and Winchester 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. |
$4,780Highest 53% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner 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 | #97 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Northwestern Regional High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
9.7Lowest |
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.