Compare towns
Gardner vs Exeter vs South Ashburnham
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 affordable homes ($302k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
South Ashburnham has the most homeowners (91.8%).
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 | Exeter | South Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
16,151 |
1,500Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
38.1±10.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Exeter and Gardner 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±8.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
8.2%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Gardner 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% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±5.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| South Ashburnham and Exeter 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 16% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$126,071±$42kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| South Ashburnham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$370,300±$56k 11% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,896 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±10.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±18.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Gardner | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Exeter High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.