Compare towns
Dover vs Gardner vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Dover | Gardner | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,930Lowest |
21,148Highest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3 12% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
| Westminster and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$106,331±$22k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$422,000±$36k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,843±$268 5% above MA |
| Dover and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,973 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Gardner | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Gardner High | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
13.5 |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.