What stands out worked out from the figures below

Buckland has the most homeowners (74.6%).

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	Buckland	Gardner
People
Population	2,036Lowest	21,148Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.5±5.4Highest 24% above MA	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA
	Buckland and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	18.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Gardner and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.4%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.6%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Gardner and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$82,877±$6kHighest 20% below MA	$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$321,400±$25kHighest 43% below MA	$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA
	Buckland and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,111±$213Highest 37% below MA	$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA
	Buckland and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,761Highest 21% below MA	$4,150Lowest 31% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58%±20.9Highest MA: 51.8%	49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Buckland and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13%Lowest MA: 10%	13.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.6%Highest MA: 62.5%	58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA	1954Highest 10 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 min 5% above MA	31 min 5% above MA
Work from home	14.1%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6%	13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Buckland 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	Mohawk Trail	Gardner
High school in town	Mohawk Trail Regional School	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.5Lowest	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.