Compare towns
Boylston vs Gardner vs Clinton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boylston has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Clinton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
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 | Boylston | Gardner | Clinton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,948Lowest |
21,148Highest |
15,563 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
38.6±2.7Lowest 4% below MA |
| Boylston and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Gardner and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.9%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Clinton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$89,781±$10k 14% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$387,300±$19k 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,402±$76 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,266Highest 21% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,654 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
40.3%±6.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
54.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.2%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Boylston and Clinton 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 | #72 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #246 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Gardner | Clinton |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | Gardner High | Clinton Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
13.5Highest |
12.8 |
| 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.