Compare towns
Gardner vs Dunbarton vs North Adams
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Dunbarton has the highest household income ($124k).
North Adams has the shortest commute (17 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 | Dunbarton | North Adams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
3,097Lowest |
12,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
44.1±3.5 13% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and North Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dunbarton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Adams and Dunbarton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.8%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$124,348±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$47,500±$7kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$484,100±$33kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,166±$70Highest 17% below U.S. |
$793±$113Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$8,233Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,078Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±11Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Adams and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Dunbarton 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #268 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Dunbarton School District | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | Charles McCann Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.