Compare towns
Ashby vs Gardner vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Hampden has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Ashby | Gardner | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211Lowest |
21,148Highest |
4,946 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 26% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
50.9±3.3Highest 27% above MA |
| Hampden and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
14%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Gardner and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.8%±5.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hampden and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9kHighest 11% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$104,536±$16k about the MA average |
| Ashby and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30kHighest 31% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$358,200±$16k 36% below MA |
| Ashby and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Highest 32% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,132±$107 36% below MA |
| Ashby and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034 about the MA average |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,181Highest 3% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.9%±42.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
9.9%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashby 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #199 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Gardner | Hampden-Wilbraham |
| 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 Our Story | 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.