Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Dighton vs Killingly vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashburnham has the most people working from home (16%).
Dighton has the most expensive homes ($502k median).
Killingly has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
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 | Ashburnham | Dighton | Killingly | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415Lowest |
8,193 |
17,867 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3 5% above U.S. |
42.7±2.9 10% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashburnham and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $118,809±$11k 47% above U.S. |
$136,646±$19kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Dighton and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,700±$34k 17% above U.S. |
$501,900±$47kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$1,405±$192 about the U.S. average |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,046 94% above U.S. |
$6,452Highest 107% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashburnham 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 | #178 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Gardner |
| High school in town | None in town | Bristol County Agricultural High | Killingly High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
11.1Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| 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.