Compare towns
Gardner vs Buzzards Bay 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).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
South Ashburnham has the highest household income ($126k).
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 | Buzzards Bay | South Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
2,909 |
1,500Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
38.1±10.4Lowest 5% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest 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% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
8.2%±4.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and South Ashburnham 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 |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$126,071±$42kHighest 21% above MA |
| South Ashburnham and Buzzards Bay 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 |
$454,500±$28kHighest 19% below MA |
$370,300±$56k 34% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and South Ashburnham 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 |
$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 | $4,150 31% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,896Highest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.7%±18.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Buzzards Bay 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 | — | — |
| 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 | 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.