Compare towns
Webster vs Woonsocket vs Gardner vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Woonsocket | Gardner | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
43,521Highest |
21,148 |
9,207Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
44±2.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 10% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 28% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Douglas and Gardner 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #273 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Gardner | Douglas |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Woonsocket High School | Gardner High | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
15.2Highest |
13.5 |
7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.