Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Webster 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 most expensive homes ($391k median).
Webster has the most people working from home (17.1%).
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 | Webster | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,415 |
2,227Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Webster 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% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4Lowest 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. |
$107,171±$14k 33% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,700±$34kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$338,500±$30k about the U.S. average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Webster 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. |
$1,396±$622 about the U.S. average |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Webster 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. |
$6,021 93% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Webster 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% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Webster 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 | Merrimack Valley School District | 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.