What stands out worked out from the figures below

Canton has the most people working from home (24.8%).

Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).

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	Canton	Gardner
People
Population	10,144Lowest	21,148Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+5.2% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±5.2Highest 16% above U.S.	43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S.
	Canton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±4Highest U.S.: 22%	18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Canton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Canton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Gardner and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$117,991±$20kHighest 46% above U.S.	$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$395,300±$24kHighest 19% above U.S.	$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,403±$358Highest about the U.S. average	$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S.
	Canton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,232Highest 132% above U.S.	$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.9%±28.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Canton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 9% above U.S.	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.
Work from home	24.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 149 in CT	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	Canton School District	Gardner
High school in town	Canton High School	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.6Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.