Compare towns
Devens vs Gardner vs Harvard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Devens has the oldest population (median age 48.6).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Devens | Gardner | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
21,148Highest |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
| Devens and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Harvard and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Devens and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63k 82% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| Harvard and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539Highest 15% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,321±$424 25% below MA |
| Devens and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556 7% below MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
4.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Harvard and Devens 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 | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Gardner | Harvard |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.