Compare towns
Brookline vs Gardner vs Newfane
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the highest household income ($81k).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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 | Brookline | Gardner | Newfane |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
21,148Highest |
1,456 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
54.4±3.9Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gardner and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$66,719±$21kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$284,200±$49kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,266±$238 10% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,174Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.9%±79.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Newfane and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.8%±12.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfane and Brookline 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 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | None in town |
| 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.