Compare towns
Gardner vs Ashby vs Windsor Locks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Ashby has the highest household income ($116k).
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Gardner | Ashby | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
3,211Lowest |
12,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor Locks and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashby and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,200±$484 15% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
| Windsor Locks and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashby and Windsor Locks 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Gardner | North Middlesex | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 8.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.