Compare towns
Belvidere vs Gardner vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belvidere has the most kids (22% under 18).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (17.5%).
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 | Belvidere | Gardner | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 422Lowest |
21,148Highest |
470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 40.7±6.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.4±8.8 9% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±9.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Belvidere and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 8.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.2%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gardner and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,563±$18k about the U.S. average |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$84,375±$20kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Marshfield and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $239,200±$51k 28% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$178,300±$31kLowest 46% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,542±$1kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,125±$79 20% below U.S. |
| Belvidere and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 25% above U.S. |
$4,150Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,269Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±53.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±62.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Belvidere and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.4%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marshfield 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Gardner | — |
| High school 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.