What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chaplin has the highest household income ($98k).

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	Chaplin	Gardner
People
Population	2,070Lowest	21,148Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+5.2% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±4.8 12% above U.S.	43.7±2.3 12% above U.S.
Kids under 18	15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Gardner and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Chaplin and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Chaplin and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,846±$14kHighest 21% above U.S.	$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S.	$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S.	$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,524Highest 45% above U.S.	$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Gardner and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 23% above U.S.	31 minLowest 16% above U.S.
Work from home	18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Chaplin 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	Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11	Gardner
High school in town	Parish Hill High School	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.5Lowest	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.