Compare towns
Blackstone vs Gardner vs Millville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Millville has the highest household income ($127k).
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 | Blackstone | Gardner | Millville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,255 |
21,148Highest |
3,160Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±1.7Lowest 8% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
46±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
| Millville and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
17.7%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Blackstone and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
30.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Millville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,191±$21k 9% below MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$127,188±$32kHighest 22% above MA |
| Millville and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,400±$34k 28% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$444,600±$25kHighest 21% below MA |
| Millville and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,189±$85 33% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,468±$234Highest 17% below MA |
| Millville and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,703Highest 5% below MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$5,327 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±18.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
36.2%±24.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Blackstone and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 16% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Blackstone 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 | #207 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #180 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | Gardner | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
13.5Lowest |
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| 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.