What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has the highest household income ($108k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Barre	Gardner
People
Population	5,572Lowest	21,148Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±8.5Highest 9% above MA	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA
	Barre and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	18.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Gardner and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Gardner and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.6%Highest MA: 47.3%	23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Barre and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,727±$13kHighest 4% above MA	$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$394,300±$55kHighest 30% below MA	$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA	$1,109±$51Highest 37% below MA
	Gardner and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,163Highest 14% below MA	$4,150Lowest 31% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Gardner and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Lowest MA: 10%	13.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 24% above MA	31 minLowest 5% above MA
Work from home	11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Gardner and Barre 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	#134 of 282 in MA	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	Quabbin	Gardner
High school in town	Quabbin Regional High School	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.