What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gardner has the most kids (18.3% under 18).

Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gardner	Buzzards Bay
People
Population	21,148Highest	2,909Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA	54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA
Kids under 18	18.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%	6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	29.6%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA	$94,388±$12kHighest 9% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA	$454,500±$28kHighest 19% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA	$1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA
	Buzzards Bay and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,150Highest 31% below MA	$3,405Lowest 43% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%	37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Gardner and Buzzards Bay 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%	7.3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	75.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA	1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 5% above MA	32 minHighest 10% above MA
Work from home	13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Buzzards Bay 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	—
School district	Gardner	—
High school in town	Gardner High	—
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.