Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Maynard vs Gardner vs Berkley
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 most kids (22.6% under 18).
Maynard has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Berkley has the highest household income ($144k).
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 | Maynard | Gardner | Berkley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415Lowest |
10,712 |
21,148Highest |
6,829 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±4.3Highest 13% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
43.4±4.1 9% above MA |
| Maynard 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 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.2%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44% MA: 47.3% |
64.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±2.7 MA: 7.9% |
| 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 14% above MA |
$124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$144,205±$49kHighest 39% above MA |
| Berkley and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,700±$34k 30% below MA |
$527,400±$31kHighest 6% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$511,200±$45k 9% below MA |
| Maynard and Berkley 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 |
$1,800±$148 about the MA average |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
— |
| Ashburnham and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,046 about the MA average |
$8,266Highest 38% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,018 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96% MA: 62.5% |
75% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 10% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Maynard 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 | #166 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #155 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | — | Gardner | Berkley |
| 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 | 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.