Compare towns
Avon vs Gardner vs Stoughton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Avon has the highest household income ($131k).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Stoughton has the most people working from home (15.4%).
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 | Avon | Gardner | Stoughton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,774Lowest |
21,148 |
29,225Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±4Lowest 6% below MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
45.7±1.9Highest 14% above MA |
| Stoughton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Avon and Stoughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.8%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Stoughton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.6%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Avon and Stoughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $130,625±$33kHighest 26% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$104,794±$6k about the MA average |
| Avon and Stoughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $509,600±$62k 9% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$523,800±$28kHighest 7% below MA |
| Stoughton and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,558±$265 12% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,050±$200Highest 16% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,627Highest 11% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,215 4% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.3%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.4%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stoughton and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
33 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
15.4%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Stoughton 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 | #212 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #196 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Avon | Gardner | Stoughton |
| High school in town | Avon Middle High School | Gardner High | Stoughton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4Lowest |
13.5Highest |
10.8 |
| 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.