Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Townsend 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 most people working from home (16%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
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 | Townsend | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,415Lowest |
9,100 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Gardner and Townsend 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% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ashburnham and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest 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% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ashburnham and Townsend 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 |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
| Townsend 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 30% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
| Townsend 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 |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
| Ashburnham and Townsend 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 |
$6,031 about the MA average |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Townsend 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% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | North Middlesex | Gardner |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Lowest |
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.