Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Dover 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 highest household income ($119k).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
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 | Dover | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,415 |
1,466Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Dover and Gardner 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% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashburnham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,809±$11kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,700±$34kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,046Highest 94% above U.S. |
$4,510 45% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Ashburnham 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Gardner |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gardner High |
| 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.