Compare towns
Gardner vs Bourne vs Westminster
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).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
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 | Gardner | Bourne | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
20,323 |
8,374Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
48.3±4.6 21% above MA |
| Bourne and Westminster 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% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westminster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Westminster 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% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne 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 |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$106,331±$22kHighest about the MA average |
| Westminster and Bourne 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 |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$422,000±$36k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Westminster and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$4,973Highest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Westminster 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% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Gardner 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
9.8Lowest |
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.