Compare towns
Gardner vs Everett vs Fall River
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 homeowners (58.9%).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Fall River has the shortest commute (26 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 | Everett | Fall River |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Lowest |
50,045 |
94,082Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Everett and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Everett 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±$8k 35% below MA |
$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 31% below MA |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Highest 10 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Everett 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 | #264 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Everett | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Everett High | B M C Durfee High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.1 |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.