Compare towns
Gardner vs Becket vs West Springfield Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Becket has the most homeowners (98.2%).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 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 | Becket | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148 |
1,962Lowest |
28,772Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
49.6±4.7Highest 24% above MA |
40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Becket and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| West Springfield Town 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 MA: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Becket 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 MA: 47.3% |
45.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| West Springfield Town 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 35% below MA |
$80,417±$29kHighest 23% below MA |
$69,371±$7k 33% below MA |
| Becket and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$361,000±$82kHighest 36% below MA |
$321,500±$16k 43% below MA |
| Becket and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
$1,144±$68 35% below MA |
| Becket and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 31% below MA |
$3,047Lowest 49% below MA |
$4,380Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
12.1% MA: 10% |
11.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | — | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Central Berkshire | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 13.1Lowest |
| 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.