Compare towns
Gardner vs Berlin vs South Ashburnham
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 renters (41.1% rent).
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
South Ashburnham has the most homeowners (91.8%).
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 | Gardner | Berlin | South Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
3,378 |
1,500Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
38.1±10.4Lowest 5% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±8.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| South Ashburnham 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% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
8.2%±4.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| South Ashburnham 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 |
$121,336±$12k 17% above MA |
$126,071±$42kHighest 21% above MA |
| South Ashburnham and Berlin 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 |
$616,600±$55kHighest 10% above MA |
$370,300±$56k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$7,116Highest 19% above MA |
$4,896 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7 MA: 51.8% |
100%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.3% MA: 62.5% |
91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
34 minHighest 17% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.7%±18.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Berlin and South Ashburnham 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 | #61 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Gardner | Berlin-Boylston | — |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — |
| 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.