Compare towns
Webster vs Windham vs Worcester
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 renters (40.2% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
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 | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
594Lowest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Windham 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% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester 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±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
| Windham and Worcester 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. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Webster and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
— | $1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Webster and Worcester 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. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Windham 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 | — | — |
| School district | Webster | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | — |
| 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.