Compare towns
Webster vs Gardner vs Middleton
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 people working from home (17.1%).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Middleton has the most homeowners (96.5%).
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 | Gardner | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,227 |
21,148Highest |
1,595Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±7.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
43.5±5.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gardner and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$101,696±$8k 26% above U.S. |
| Webster and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $338,500±$30kHighest about the U.S. average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$312,300±$27k 6% below U.S. |
| Webster and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,396±$622 about the U.S. average |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,500±$293Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Middleton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,504 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.6%±71 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
83.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middleton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Webster and Middleton 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Merrimack Valley School District | Gardner | Middleton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| 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.