Compare towns
Andover vs Gardner vs Barkhamsted
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Barkhamsted has the most people working from home (20.3%).
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 | Andover | Gardner | Barkhamsted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,152Lowest |
21,148Highest |
3,678 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 51.2±5.4Highest 32% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
50.2±3.3 29% above U.S. |
| Andover and Barkhamsted are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Gardner and Barkhamsted are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barkhamsted and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Andover and Barkhamsted are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,632±$20kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$123,544±$9k 53% above U.S. |
| Andover and Barkhamsted are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,500±$36kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$368,000±$15k 11% above U.S. |
| Andover and Barkhamsted are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$745Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,164±$114 18% below U.S. |
| Andover and Barkhamsted are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$6,354 104% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.8%±38.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.8%±35.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barkhamsted and Andover 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 | #43 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA | #63 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Andover School District | Gardner | Barkhamsted 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.