Compare towns
Webster vs Winchester vs Whitman
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 affordable homes ($362k median).
Winchester has the most people working from home (33.8%).
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 | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748 |
23,406Highest |
15,295Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
42.5±1.9Highest 6% above MA |
40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
| Winchester and Whitman 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% |
27.6%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18%±2 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Whitman 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 |
$230,198±$21kHighest 121% above MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$1,215,200±$39kHighest 116% above MA |
$472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA |
$2,279±$481Highest 29% above MA |
$1,771±$151 about the MA average |
| Winchester and Whitman 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
39.3%±13.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Webster 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% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.8%±3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #11 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Winchester | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Winchester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
14.8Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.