Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Dover vs Gardner vs Berkley
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 kids (22.6% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Berkley has the most expensive homes ($511k median).
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 | Berkley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415 |
1,466Lowest |
21,148Highest |
6,829 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% 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. |
43.4±4.1 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% |
21.2%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham and Berkley 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% |
29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±3.2Lowest 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% |
37.6% 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% |
4.9%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashburnham and Berkley 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. |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$144,205±$49kHighest 79% above U.S. |
| Berkley 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. |
$332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$511,200±$45kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| 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. |
$6,018 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer 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. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±5.3Lowest 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 | #155 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Gardner | Berkley |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.