Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Fall River vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashburnham has the highest household income ($119k).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k 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 | Fall River | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,415Lowest |
94,082Highest |
21,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3 about the MA average |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Gardner and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ashburnham and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±4.5 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| 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 14% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,700±$34k 30% below MA |
$395,500±$11kHighest 30% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
| Fall River and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1kHighest about the MA average |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
| Ashburnham and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,046Highest about the MA average |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 10% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Gardner |
| High school in town | None in town | B M C Durfee High | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.